Agnes Strickland's Queens of England

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CANTERBURV CATHEURAt.

AGNES STRICKLAND'S

QUEENS OF ENGLAND

By ROSALIE KAUFMAN

Vol. I.

FULLY ILLUSTRATED

BOSTON
ESTES & LAURIAT

PUBLISHERS

Su Stack

Jtonex Annex

Copyrij^ht, 1882, 189^,
By Estes and Lauriat.

John Wilson and Son, Cambridge.

stack
Annex

PREFACE

Up to Queen Anne, this work is based upon Agnes
Strickland's " Queens of England ; " but subsequent to
that period many authorities have been consulted, and
only such matter used as would seem appropriate. My
first care was to prepare a narrative which should inter-
est young people, but I have endeavored also to produce
a result that would prove a source, not only of pleasure,
but of profit. The limits of the design make it evident
that some eminent names and noteworthy events could
receive slight mention, or none at all, and that politics
could be introduced only when requisite for the compre-
hension of events that depended on them. It will be a
satisfaction to hope that my readers may be prompted to
independent inquiry.

\

CONTENTS.

Pagb

Matilda of Flanders, Queen of William the Conqueror 15

Matilda of Scotland, Queen of Henry 1 45

Matilda of Boulogne, Queen of Stephen 74

Eleanora of Aquitaine, Queen of Henry II 89

Berengaria of Navarre, Queen of Richard I no

Isabella of Angouleme, Queen of King John . . . .123

Eleanor of Provence, Queen of Henry III 137

Eleanora of Castile, Queen of Edward 1 160

Marguerite of France, Second Queen of Edward I. . • 175
Isabella of France, Queen of Edward II. .... 181

Philippa of Hainault, Queen of Edward III 214

Anne of Bohemia, Queen of Richard II 234

Isabella of Valois, Second Queen of Richard II. . . 243

Joanna of Navarre, Queen of Henry IV. . . . . 254

Katherine of Valois, Queen of Henry V 263

Margaret of Anjou, Queen of Henry VI 280

Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of Edward IV 316

Anne of Warwick, Queen of Richard III 327

Elizabeth of York, Queen of Henry VII 332

Katharine of Arragon, First Queen of Henry VIII. . . 342

Anne Boleyn, Second Queen of Henry VIII 378

Jane Seymour, Third Queen of Henry VIII 403

Anne of Cleves, Fourth Queen of Henry VIII. . . .409
Katharine Howard, Fifth Queen of Henry VIII. . . .422
Katharine Parr, Sixth Queen of Henry VIII 43°

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Canterbury Cathedral Frontispiece

Matilda of Flanders 14

Norman Arches 16

William the Conqueror 19

William the Conqueror, from Tapestries 21

Conqueror and Conquered 23

Landing of William the Conqueror 25

Ruins of Hastings 29

Battle of Hastings, from Bayeux Tapestries 31

Old Westminster 33

Ships of William the Conqueror, from Tapestries 36

The Tower 37

Robert Discovers his Father 39

Trophy of Norman and Saxon Arms 41

Pleasure Barge on the Thames 44

Matilda of Scotland 47

Queen Margaret's Chapel . . • 51

The Beacon 53

Death of the Red King 55

College at- Oxford 59

Playing at Bowls 61

Norman Font 65

Exterior Pulpit 66

Ancient Windsor Castle 68

Abbey of St. Etienne 71

Norman Tower . . 73

Entrance to Norman Chapel • • 75

Arundel Castle 78

Horn 79

Scold's Bridle 80

X List of Illustrations.

PAGK

A Battle g,

Escape from Oxford g,

Norman Robe gg

The Pilgrim 90

Eleanora of Aquitaine 01

Crusaders on their March 05

The Maze j^j

Godstowe Nunnery jq2

Murder of Thomas \ Becket 10^

Tomb of Henry II 107

Berengaria of Navarre i,,

Leaders of the First Crusade 1 1 -

Capture of Acre no

Costimies of the Period 122

Isabella of Angouleme 125

The Crypt in Old Windsor ,2g

John's Anger after Signing Magna Charta 129

Magna Charta Island 112

Interior of Gloucester Cathedral i-jj

Eleanor of Provence ixq

Angel Tower and Chapter-House, Canterbury 143

Chapter-House, York 147

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland 151

Gateway and Keep, Alnwick 153

King Henry and his Barons 155

Archers ico

Eleanora of Castile 161

Attempt on Edward's Life 165

Caernarvon Castle 171

Marguerite of France . . . . ^ 177

Old Charing Cross 180

Isabella of France • . . . . 183

Retainer's Hall igo

Westminster Hall 193

Under the Tower igj

City HaD, Valenciennes 201

Old Fort at Oxford , . .205

Edward II. and his JaUers 210

Tomb of Edward II., Gloucester Cathedral 211

Philippa of Hainault 215

Doorway 219

Philippa on her Knees before the King 227

T«nb of Edward III 231

List of Illustrations. xi

PAGE

Anne of Bohemia 235

Houses on Old London Bridge 239

Beards 242

Isabella of Valois 245

Body of Richard interred at Westminster 251

Joanna of Navarre 255

Shrewsbury 258

Before Agincourt . 259

Costumes 262

Katherine of Valois 265

Friar Bacon's Study 267

Donjon at Vincennes 277

Margaret of Anjou 281

Ruins of Kenihvorth Castle 293

Royal Apartments 297

Warwick Castle 305

View of Verdun 311

Elizabeth WoodviUe 317

Windsor Castle 321

Vault of St. George's Chapel 324

Bloody Tower 325

Crjpt in Tower 326

Anne of Warwick 329

Dungeon, Tower 331

Elizabeth of York 333

Chapel of Henry VII 34°

Costumes 34'

Katherine of Arragon 343

TheAlhambra 347

London Bridge 35°

Reception Room 353

Richmond Church 355

Richmond Palace 359

Bedroom of Henry VIII., Knoll Castle 3^3

House of Sir Thomas More 3^8

Wolsey's Tower 373

Beheading Block and Axe . 377

Anne Boleyn 379

Hever Castle 3^5

Whitehall, Wolsey's Palace "^

Anne Boleyn's Chamber, Hever Castle 390

Watergate, Tower 393

Hampton Court 397

xii List of Illustrations.

jane Seymour 405

Hampton Court, Garden Front 408

Waterloo Bridge and Somerset House 420

Guard Chamber, Lambeth Palace 421

Heads on Old London Bridge 423

Court Gardens . 425

Stairway 429

Katharine Parr 431

Old St. Paul's 437

Essex House , 443

STORIES OF THE LIVES

THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND.

COMPILED FROM AGNES STRICKLAND, FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE,

BY ROSALIE KAUFMAN.

MATILDA OF FLANDERS, FIRST QUEEN OF ENGLAND.

THE

QUEENS OF ENGLAND.

CHAPTER I.

MATILDA OF FLANDERS, WIFE OF WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR (1031-1083).

Matilda, wife of the great William, the Conqueror, was
an exceedingly handsome woman, and as she had received
the best education that was possible in her times, she was
as celebrated for her learning as for her beauty. She was,
besides, generous and religious, and had all the qualities
necessary for the position she was called upon to fill.

She was famed for her fancy-work, which was looked
upon as one of the most important and desirable occupa-
tions for ladies of rank ; and any woman who could spin,
weave and embroider was considered quite a treasure.

Matilda had three cousins who were such skilful needle-
women, that they were sought in marriage by the greatest
princes of Europe. Their work has not been preserved,
but Matilda's still remains and is called the Bayeux Tapes-
try. It is the most wonderful achievement in needlework
ever accomplished by any woman. But we shall tell more
about it, by-and-bye.

Matilda's father was Earl of Flanders, a rich, powerful
prince, skilled in the arts of peace and war. He was, be-
sides, such a popular man that all the rulers in his

i6

The Queens of England.

neighborhood were anxious to win the hand of his beauti-
ful daughter.

Her cousin, William of Normandy, was the most accom-
plished of them all, and loved her devotedly. He was
handsome, brave and talented, and so strong, that, it is
said, no man could bend his bow but himself. And he was

such a sure marks-
man, that even when
riding at full speed,
he seldom missed his
aim. It is remark-
able that although
he was the tallest
man in his army, he
passed through all
his battles without
the loss of a drop of
blood, until towards
the close of his ca-
reer, when he was
wounded by his own
son.

Strange to say,

this young man did

not find favor in the

eyes of his lady cousin at all ; this mortified him so much,

that he resolved to win her in spite of herself.

He had a rival in a young Saxon nobleman named
Brihtric Meaw, who had come to Flanders as ambassador
from Edward the Confessor, then on the British throne.
This favored gentleman was so fair and light-haired that
he was nicknamed >" Snow." Matilda loved him in secret,
which is probably the reason why she would not listen to
her cousin William.

NORMAN ARCHERS.

I052. Matilda of Flanders. I»

But Brihtric Meaw does not seem to have cared particu.
larly for her, and so did not find out what her sentiments
were towards him. Thus, quite innocently, he never at-
tempted to court her, and she could not forgive his indiffer-
ence. Still her mind was filled with him, and this made
her treat William coldly. He was not to be baffled, how-
ever, but courted her through seven long and tedious years.

At last he became Impatient, so one day when Matilda
was going home from church, he managed to meet her, as
lovers will. Perhaps she was more unkind to him than
usual and made him angry, otherwise I do not know how
to account for his behavior on that occasion, but he seized
hold of her, rolled her in the dirt, then actually beat her.
Before she had time to call for help, after she had recovered
from her surprise, he jumped on his horse, and rode off as
fast as he could go.

Now, she might have been induced to forgive him for
spoiling her good clothes, but how she could have had any-
thing more to do with a fellow, no matter what his rank
might be, who could dare to treat her so brutally, is hard to
understand. Perhaps the women were not so high spirited
then as they are now, but certain it is that instead of getting
into a rage, stamping her feet and forbidding him ever
to approach her again, the princess was won. This re-
markable style of love-making went straight to her heart,
and brought matters to a crisis. It may be that she feared
another beating, or that she was finally convinced of the
greatness of his love ; whatever it was, she consented to
become his wife, forthwith.

The wedding was celebrated at William's Castle in Nor-
mandy, Matilda having gone there accompanied by her
parents, and a large retinue of ladies and gentlemen. Her
trousseau was magnificent, and on her wedding day she
wore a superb velvet robe embroidered with gold and

1 8 The Queens of England.

pearls. It was so rich and costly, that it was for a long
time preserved in the treasury of the Cathedral of Bayeux
with William's mantle and helmet, which were adorned
with precious stones.

At the time of his marriage, William's affairs were in a
most perilous condition, for he was surrounded by powerful
neighbors who wanted to get possession of the rich fields
of Normandy. They hoped to divide them among them-
selves and leave the duke nothing. He had enemies
among his own subjects too, who would have been pleased
to turn him off and have his cousin Guy of Burgundy to
govern them, because they thought he had a better right to
the dukedom of Normandy than William had. Perhaps
this was so, but the latter had too determined a will to
yield, and he had been a leader nearly all his life.

When he was only five years old, he formed a battalion
of boys of his own age whom he drilled in military prac-
tice every day. It must have been a pretty sight, and no
doubt the little fellows fancied themselves real warriors.
Of course disputes arose, all of which William settled with
remarkable skill.

He was a good student too, for he knew enough of
Latin at eight years of age, to read and explain Caesar's
Commentaries.

When he was about seven, his father, Duke Robert,
went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. But before he
did so, he assembled all the nobles of his realm, and made
them swear fealty to his bright, promising child, whom he
hugged and kissed tenderly, then presented to his subjects
as their future Sovereign, saying : " He is little, but he
will grow."

Not long after this, Henry, King of France, invaded
William's dominion, but he was defeated, because the
young duke had such excellent advisers and assistants.

WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

10S2.

Matilda of Flanders.

21

The King was so indignant at this defeat, that he in-
cited the Norman nobles to stir up an insurrection, hoping,
no doubt, to punish the boy by depriving him of his title,
altogether.

Once when William was out hunting, he passed the
night at a remote castle without military escort. His
cousin, Guy of Burgundy, hearing of it, laid a plot to kill
him, but this was prevented by
the Court fool, who accident-
ally found it out and travelled
all night, at full speed, to warn
the Duke of his danger. He
managed to get into the castle
at four o'clock in the morn-
ing, and knocked violently on
William's chamber door with
the handle of his whip, shout-
ing : " get up ! get up, my
lord ! " William obeyed the
summons, and mounting his
swiftest horse, half dressed,
rode with fiery speed for many
hours before he was beyond
danger. Even while making

his escape, he might have been caught, for his horse was
almost exhausted when he had the good fortune to meet a
gentleman who supplied him with another.

Later, the young duke had a chance to turn the tables
on his cousin, Guy, whom he captured in battle. But re-
membering that they had been friends in early childhood,
William forgave the attempt his cousin had made on his
life, and released him.

The King of France was just planning another attack
on William's dominions when the young man married, and

PICTURE OF WILLIAM, FROM
TAPESTRIES.

22 The Queens of England.

then Matilda's father became such a powerful ally that the
king hesitated. Soon after he died. Relieved of this
anxiety, the duke thought he might settle down and enjoy
the society of his young wife; but, the Archbishop of
Rouen, who had reasons of his own for trying to prevent
the marriage, pronounced it unlawful, and the young
couple were so distressed that they appealed to the Pope,
He decided that if each would build and endow an Ab-
bey, as well as a hospital for the blind, he would grant
them dispensation. This was not difficult, so Matilda
founded the Holy Trinity for Nuns, and William founded
the Monastery of St. Stephen.

Then William set to work to erect a palace for his own
dwelling very near the Monastery. Matilda had a great
taste for architecture and took pleasure in superintending
these buildings. The great hall of the palace was one of
the finest apartments in all Europe and the edifice itself
was superb.

This royal couple did everything to render their subjects
happy and contented, and provided work for them by
building ships and harbors, which promoted trade also.

Though we know that Matilda did not love her husband
before marriage, she became a devoted wife afterwards,
and William showed his entire confidence in her by leaving
her to govern his country when he went over to England
to obtain a promise from Edward the Confessor that he
would adopt him as successor to the throne.

He was kindly received in England, and Edward gave
him some fine hawks, hounds and other presents. Then
Matilda had a little boy whose birth added considerably to
her happiness. He was called Robert, after his grand-
papa, and there was great rejoicing in Normandy over this
event. If they could have foreseen how he would turn
out, the feeling would have been very different.

io66.

Matilda of Flanders.

23

In course of time Matilda had eight other children, and
during many years of peace and national prosperity, she
and her husband devoted themselves to their care and ed-
ucation.

[A.D. 1065.] Now it happened that once, when Har-
old, Edward the Confessor's half brother, was out fishing
in an open boat, he was overtaken by a storm and obliged to
seek refuge in the territory
of the Earl of Ponthieu, who
seized him and shut him up
in prison. William rescued
him, treated him most kind-
ly, and even promised him
one of his daughters in mar-
riage, though she was but
seven years old.

Harold acted like a sneak,
and pretended to be highly
flattered ; but it was not his
intention ever to marry the
girl at all.

He listened to William's
narration of how Edward
had adopted him as his suc-
cessor to the British throne,
and made a solemn promise

to assist him to get it. Soon after his return to England,
he married the widow of the Prince of Wales, and at
Edward's death he took no notice of his promise to Wil-
liam, but had himself proclaimed king.

Of course such conduct aroused William's wrath, and,
with the aid of his wife's relations, he resolved to invade
England.

[A.D. 1066.] This was the year 1066, and a memorable

CONQUEROR AND CONQUERED.

24 The Queens of England.

one on account of the appearance in the heavens of a
splendid three-tailed comet. We are pleased to have
such a visitor and to be able to gaze at it and study it with
the aid of telescopes, but in that time the people were so
superstitious that they thought it portended evil, and so it
spread terror throughout the land. The death of the
King, which occurred only a few days after its appearance,
served to encourage the superstition. When the astrol-
ogers foretold its approach they announced it thus :

" In the year one thousand and sixty-six,
Comets to England's sons an end shall fix."

One of the largest and finest pieces of handiwork that
Matilda accomplished, was the tapestry representing
this comet in the heavens with its three fiery tails spread
all across the canvas. A group of terror-stricken Saxon
princeSj priests and ladies have rushed out of their dwell-
ings to look at it, and are pointing towards it, their faces
expressing the utmost anxiety. To be sure the comet
looked, when compared with the objects in the picture, a
great deal larger than it could possibly have been, but
probably, the size was suggested by the awe it inspired.

Matilda did not do all this work alone; if she had,
Hood's Song of the Shirt might well apply to the hun-
dreds and thousands of cross stitches that she would have
made, and we should pity her for having such a weary
task. But she was assisted by all the ladies of her court,
who laughed and chatted merrily while their hands were
busily employed.

Well, William started on his expedition to England,
leaving his wife to rule at home, and his son Robert, then
only thirteen years of age, military chief of Normandy.

A large number of his subjects objected to this invasion,
SO when the whole fleet was becalmed at St. Valleri, the

LANDING OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

' By the splendor of God, I have seized England with both hands."

io66. Matilda of Flanders. 27

common soldiers complained and declared that God was
their adversary, and had stopped the wind to keep them
back. The king did not know what to say to this, but at
last he hit upon something that he knew would impress
them. He ordered the shrine of St. Valleri to be brought
from the tomb and placed in an open field, then invited
everybody to pray to the saint to intercede with the Al-
mighty for a breeze. Crowds of people far and near, as
well as the Norman soldiers, brought offerings, and in a
short time the shrine was buried in the gold, silver and
other precious gifts that they placed upon it. The wind
did not immediately change, but the malcontents had
something to think about, and the delay gave Matilda time
to carry out a pleasant surprise that she had planned for
her husband. One day she appeared in the harbor on a
splendid vessel of war that she had caused to be built as
a present for William. She called it the Mora. At the
prow of the vessel was a gold image of their youngest
son. With one hand he held a trumpet to his lips, and
with the other a bow with the arrow aimed towards
England. Loud cheering and joyful exclamations greeted
Matilda's appearance, and her husband was overcome by
this mark of her affection.

The Mora carried a red flag at her mast-head by day ; it
was replaced at night by a bright light that served as a
guide for the other vessels of the fleet. Scarcely was the
duke well established on board than the long wished-for
wind arose, every man was summoned to his post, and they
set sail. Matilda went back home.

The Norman fleet met some very rough weather and lost
two of their ships. On the 28th of September, 1066, they
landed on the coast of Sussex.

The duke was the last person to step on shore. As he
did so, he stumbled and fell. Probably he was still giddy

28 The Queens of England.

from the motion of the vessel, but his followers thought it
an evil omen and raised a great cry of distress. The
duke's presence of mind did not desert him. He picked
up two handfuls of sand, exclaiming : " See, Seigneurs !
by the splendor of God, I have seized England with both
hands ! "

Then a meal was served on the beach, and afterwards
the soldiers having selected a spot, began to put up the
wooden fortress that they had brought in sections, from
Normandy.

A piece of Matilda's tapestry represents the soldiers,
assisting the carpenters and builders in this work.

The army tarried four days on the beach. But there
were no telegraphs or newspapers in those days, so Harold
knew nothing of the approach of his enemy until a knight
arrived from Sussex, having ridden all the way without
food or rest, and rushing into his presence shouted at the
top of his voice : " The Normans have come ! they have
landed at Hastings and built up a fort ! they will rend the
land from thee and thine unless thou defend it well ! "
Harold sent a messenger offering to buy off the Normans,
but William replied that he had not come for money, but
to claim the realm that Edward the Confessor had given
him.

"Nay; you ask too much of us, Sire," said the messen-
ger. " Harold is willing to purchase your departure with
silver, gold and fine garments, but if you refuse, he will
give you battle on Saturday night."

The duke accepted the challenge. The night preceding
the battle was passed by the English in dancing, singing
and gambling ; but the Normans prayed, fasted, and con-
fessed their sins.

The battle was fought seven miles from Hastings.
Taillefer, the warrior minstrel of Normandy, rode gallantly

io66.

Matilda of Flanders.

31

at the head of the chivalry of his native land, singing the
war songs of Rollo. William had three horses killed
under him that day without receiving a single scratch him-
self. Harold was killed, and the victorious Duke William
pitched his tent on the battle-field that night.

When Matilda received the joj^ul tidings of her hus-
band's triumph, she was praying in a church, which, she
ordered to be forever after called Notre Dame de Bonnes
Nouvelles, in memory of the good news she had received
there.

A celebrated piece of embroidery made by her after the
victory represents her husband pointing towards his noble
steed. He is dressed in a complete suit of armor, and
the likeness is said to be as perfect as it could be, repre-
sented in cross stitch.

I

BATTLE OF HASTINGS, FROM BAYEUX TAPESTRIES.

CHAPTER II.

[A.D. 1066.] On the Monday following the battle of
Hastings, William rode into the city of London, on horse-
back, followed by a long train of the nobility of England
and Normandy. He proceeded to Westminster Abbey,
where he was crowned King of England.

Grand preparations had been made for this event, and
such a brilliant coronation had never been seen. Crowds
of people gathered in the streets, and the duke's fine
presence and noble bearing won all hearts.

Holding the crown aloft the archbishop asked the
nobles assembled, if they were willing to receive this duke
for their king. They were so boisterous in their eager
assent, that the Norman soldiers who had assembled
outside the Abbey in case their protection should be
needed, mistook the noise for the rising of the Saxons, and
set fire to most of the buildings in the neighborhood. It
required prompt action on the part of the more sober-
minded of the Normans, to prevent the flames from de-
stroying the Abbey itself. William was dismayed at this
occurrence, and it was not until he showed himself in his
coronation robes and crown, that his followers could be
restored to order and quiet.

Now, one would naturally suppose that in those rude
times, Matilda's neighbors would have taken advantage of
her husband's absence to invade her dominion, but she
governed with so much skill and prudence that they did

3-

io66.

Matilda of Flanders.

33

not venture to molest her, and she made herself universally
beloved and respected.

Having recounted the good traits of this queen, it is
only fair to present the bad ones too, because nobody is
entirely without faults, yet it is painful to be obliged to re-
fer to one very dark deed of which she was guilty.

OLD WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

She must have had a large share of vanity, for she
never forgave Brihtric Meaw because he did not return
her early affection, and fourteen years later she sought re-
venge in this wise : She persuaded her husband to deprive
Meaw of all his lands and bestow them on her ; then she
had him put in prison where, after several months, he died.
This was a very serious crime, and it is hard to understand
how a woman with everything in the world to make her

34 TJie Queens of England.

happy, and with qualities so fine and noble as Matilda's
certainly were, could have been capable of it.

After an absence of six months, William returned to
Normandy, accompanied by a number of Saxon noble-
men. He brought a large quantity of costly spoils,
among which were garments richly embroidered in sil-
ver and gold by the skilful hands of the Anglo-Saxon
women, whose beautiful work was renowned all over the
world.

The whole summer was spent by the royal couple in
travelling and amusements until news was brought to Wil-
liam that his Saxon subjects were planning an insurrection,
when he hastened back to England. He arrived before
any ver}' serious steps had been taken.

He now began to see that his position would be in
every respect more agreeable, and his subjects would be
better satisfied if he had his family at court, so he sent a
numerous company over to Normandy to conduct them to
England.

[A.D. 1068.] They proceeded at once to W'inchester,
where the queen's coronation took place with great pomp
and ceremony. In order to render it still more imposing,
William had himself crowned a second time, but on this
occasion there was no such excitement as disturbed the
first crowning. Everybody was charmed with the graceful,
majestic appearance of the new queen, though some of the
Saxons objected to her being called Regina. which is the
Latin word, signifying Queen, However, William insisted
upon this honor being conferred on his wife ; though pre-
vious to his reign all the wives of the various kings had
simply been termed " the Ijidy, his companion." To be
sure, few of the queens of England could claim more
illustrious descent than Matilda ; for Alfred, the best and
noblest of their sovereigns, was one of her ancestors, and

fo68. Matilda of Flanders. 35

she was connected with most of the royal families in
Europe.

After the coronation ceremony, a grand banquet was
serv^ed, at which both the king and queen presided.

Now, Matilda had to be served by her new subjects, the
English, because they would not have been satisfied if she
had kept only her Norman ladies in attendance.

The king was so happy that he bestowed favors right
and left in order to gain the affection of the nation. He
also revived some of the old offices at court, which was a
very popular act. Among these, was that of grand pan-
netier, whose duty it was to carry the salt and the carving-
knives from the pantry to the king's dining-table on state
occasions. His fees were the salt-cellars, spoons, knives,
and bread-covers laid on the royal table. Forks were not
among the luxuries of William the Conqueror's day, when
people must have verified the proverb of later times, that
" fingers were made before forks." The Manor of Ad-
dington was presented to the cook for preparing a kind of
white soup that tickled his majesty's palate.

During the grand coronation banquet, a noble cavalier,
named Marmion, rode into the hall on horseback, com-
pletely armed, and shouted out three times : " If anybody
denies that our most gracious sovereign Lord William, and
his spouse Matilda, are King and Queen of England, he
is a false-hearted traitor and liar, and here I do challenge
him to single combat."

Nobody accepted the challenge.

Under a glass case at the Museum of Bayeux is pre-
served to this very day, a piece of canvas, nineteen inches
broad and sixty-seven yards long, on which Queen Matilda
embroidered the whole conquest of England by her hus-
band. There are many hundred figures of men, horses,
birds, beasts, houses, trees, castles, and churches, all done

36

The Queens of England.

in their proper colors.

The designs were made by a dwarf
artist named Turold, who
seems to have been far-
sighted enough to know
that the work would be-
come celebrated, for he
has curiously managed to
introduce his own figure
or name on the canvas
wherever it was possible.

After William and his
wife were seated on the
throne, there was a season
of tranquillity. Then the
Conqueror laid the foun-
S dation for the great Tower
^ of London, as well as other
S strong fortresses. But re-
a volts began again, and the
3 Normans demanded the
I return of Matilda. She
'Z resolved to gratify them,
^ but in so doing displeased
the English, for they knew
that during her absence
there would be fewer cele-
brations at court, and they
would thus be deprived of
opportunities for dispos-
ing of their fine goods.

[A.D. 1069.] All the
working people were af-
fected, more or less, by
her departure, and ♦Jiey

1069.

Matilda of Flanders.

37

got into a habit of gathering at each other's houses to dis-
cuss their wrongs and grievances. Fearing that they might
stimulate one another to revolt, William instituted the Cur-
few, or the tolling of a bell, at eight o'clock every evening.
This was a signal for all the lights and fires to be put out
in the dwellings ; the
word was originally
couvre feu, which
means extinguishing
fires.

Then William made
war in the north of
England and laid
waste the whole coun-
tr}\ In one of the
battles a fair young
Saxon, who was en-
gaged to one of the
king's daughters, was
killed.

As time went on,
Norman customs were
adopted in England,
and that dialect,

which was a mixture of French and Danish, became pop-
ular. The learned wrote and conversed in Latin.

Now, the ladies of Normandy, whose husbands were
fighting William's battles, began to grow tired of the long
separation ; besides, certain bits of gossip that came over
the water to them aroused their jealousy. So, many of
them insisted on recalling their lords who, for the sake of
peace, were obliged to desert the king, and obey. The
queen herself set a very bad example, for growing jealous
of a daughter of one of the priests, she actually had the

THE TOWER.

38 The Queens of England.

poor girl secretly put to death. When William went to
Normandy, he beat her severely for this shameful deed.

Such treatment does not seem to have surprised her
ver}' much, though, for she forgave him just as she did for
a similar indignity before her marriage, and the royal
couple were soon livmg on the most amicable terms
again.

But there was one serious cause of disagreement be-
tween them. It was the great affection that the queen felt
for her eldest son Robert. She loved him better than any
of her other children, while the third son, William Rufus,
was the king's favorite.

Robert was a proud, self-willed, quick-tempered lad, who
always wanted to rule, and the position of trust and im-
portance that he had filled in Normandy during his father's
absence had encouraged this disposition. He was spoiled,
and showed an inclination to rebel when William resumed
the reins of government.

[A.D. 1076.] One day when he was walking with some
companions around the castle, his two younger brothers,
William Rufus and Richard, with a desire for boyish fun,
threw some dirty water out of the window directly on his
head. Instead of receiving the joke good-naturedly, or
retaliating as any brother might be expected to do, Robert
flew into a passion, and with a drawn sword in his hand
rushed up-stairs, declaring that he would kill the offenders.
A great tumult ensued, and it was only the appearance of
their father who burst into the room, flourishing his sword,
and pronouncing angry threats, that prevented fatal con-
sequences.

That evening Robert privately withdrew from court with
a party of young nobles who were attached to him. He
stood upon his dignity and refused to bow to his father's
wUl.

ROBERT DISCOVERS HIS FATHER.

1076.

Matilda of Flanders.

41

About this time the Princess Constance married, and
shortly after Princess Cicely entered a convent.

Then the queen received a severe blow in the death of
her second son, Richard, a prince of most amiable disposi-
tion and studious habits. But Robert's bad conduct and
his disrespectful behavior towards his father gave her more
real sorrow than anything else in the world.

After a short absence
he sought the king's
presence and made a
request that he should
be appointed Sover-
eign of Normandy, sa}'-
ing, " It is my right ;
have you not promised
to bestow it on me ? "

" It is not my custom
to strip until I go to
bed," replied the king,
adding some whole-
some advice.

Then Robert, be-
coming impertinent,
said he did not come
to listen to sermons,
and angrily withdrew. He immediately went to live with
his uncle, the Earl of Flanders. There he lived such a
wild, extravagant life that his mother was frequently called
upon to supply him with extra funds. When her private
purse was empty, she sold her jewels and even her gar-
ments to provide the wicked youth with what he demanded.

All this was kept secret from William, which was cer-
tainly very wrong. But he found it out at last, and it need
scarcely be said, that he was exceedingly angry. However,

TROPHY OF NORMAN AND
SAXON ARMS.

42 The Queens of England.

he did not beat his wife this time ; perhaps he had heard
before of women making sacrifices for their children,
but he was hurt at Matilda's lack of confidence in him,
and told her very truly, " The woman who deceives her
husband is the destruction of her own house," She de-
fended herself so well, that he forgave her at last, and
continued to love her till the very end of her life.

But somebody had to be punished, and the victim was
the agent who had forwarded the money to Robert, and
attended to the selling of the queen's jewels and garments.
The poor man was condemned to have his eyes put out.
Filled with terror, he ran to a monastery, where, within
twenty-four hours he was shaven and shorn and became a
professed monk. Thus was he protected.

Robert's ambition would not let him rest, so he prepared
an attack on England. There was a furious battle, and
it so happened, that in the midst of it a hand to hand
encounter took place betweeen father and son. William
was run through the arm with his adversary's lance and
unhorsed. It is to be hoped, that as the warriors wore
their visors down they did not recognize each other, for it
would be horrible to think of a father's being intentionally
wounded by his own flesh and blood. He cried out so
loudly that he was known at once ; then Robert raised him
tenderly from the ground and begged to be forgiven, while
he placed the wounded king on his own horse and led him
to a place of safety.

It was a long time after the battle, in which Robert
came off victorious, before he was blessed with his father's
forgiveness, and this was brought about by the over-fond
mother. Her health had suffered so much on account of
the constant anxiety to which she was subjected, that
William granted her request to invite his erring son home.
But Robert was never admitted to his father's confidence.

1078. Matilda of Flanders. 43

[A.D. 1078.] It was William the Conqueror who estab-
lished the celebrated Doomsday Book which contained a
survey of all the lands throughout England. The object
of this book was to enable the sovereign so to regulate
taxes as to feel sure that he received as much as he dared
exact from each subject.

It was while her husband was making one of his expedi-
tions to Normandy that Queen Matilda heard of a German
hermit who was renowned for his gift of prophecy. She
sent to consult him as to what was likely to be the result
of the ill feeling existing between her husband and Robert.

The hermit required three days for his reply, which was :
" Tell your mistress that the Most High has made known
to me in a dream, what she desires to hear. I saw in my
vision, a pasture covered with grass and flowers. A noble
charger was feeding thereon, A numerous herd gathered
near eager to share the feast, but the charger would not
permit them to approach. But, alas ! suddenly he dropped
dead, and a poor silly steer appeared in his place. He
had no power to keep off the meaner animals, so they all
rushed into the field and trampled down the grass and
flowers that they failed to devour. This is the explanation :

"The noble steed is William the Conqueror, who by
his wisdom and power keeps his surrounding foes in awe.
The dull beast is Robert, who will succeed him. The other
animals are the envious princes who are waiting for an op-
portunity to attack the fields of Normandy, and destroy
the land. If the illustrious lady do not labor to restore
peace, there will be nothing but misery, ruin, and desola-
tion to her beloved country." This message came close
upon the death of the Princess Constance, and added so
much to Matilda's sorrow that her health broke down, and
she died. She had reigned seventeen years, and was the
first Anglo-NormaL Queen of England

44

The Queens of England.

Matilda's funeral was conducted with great pomp, and
the tomb that was placed over her grave was a mass of
sculpture and precious stones.

The king mourned the loss of his noble companion for
many days ; he gave up all his favorite sports and became
an irritable, melancholy man. He survived his wife only
four years.

Then Robert got possession of Normandy, but his at-
tempt to place himself on the throne of England shortly
afterwards failed.

[A.D. 1087.] William Rufus, called the Red King on
account of the color of his hair, succeeded William the
Conqueror, and his brother Henry became king when he
died. Robert ended his life in a prison, after being shut
up in it for twenty-eight years.

PLEASURE BARGE ON THE THAMES.

CHAPTER III.

MATILDA OF SCOTLAND, QUEEN OF HENRY I.
(A.D. 1077-H18.)

This princess is called "The Good Queen," a title that
shows how dear she must have been to her subjects, and
how much she must have done to promote their happiness.
She is the only princess of Scotland who ever shared the
throne of an English king.

Her aunt, Christina Atheling, was Abbess of Rumsey,
and did all she could to influence Matilda to take the veil
and enter a convent. But this was very displeasing to her
father, the King of Scotland, and one day when she en
tered his presence with a nun's veil fastened to her head,
he indignantly tore it to pieces, saying that he intended
her to become a wife some day, not a nun. This circum-
stance made such an impression on her youthful mind, that
she never forgot it.

When the king made this remark, there was a young
man present whose name was Alan, Duke of Bretagne.
He was the widower of Constance, William the Con-
queror's daughter, consequently much too old for Matilda ;
nevertheless, he made up his mind on the spot that he
would make her his wife if he could get her consent.

But now we must tell something about the illustrious
mother of this princess, to whom she was indebted for her
earliest lessons in piety and virtue.

Her name was Margaret, and her parents were Edward
Atheling, sumamed the Outlaw, and a daughter of Henry
n. of Germany.

45

46 The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1068.] When she was a young lady, her family
determined to leave England and take up their residence
in Hungary, but the ship on which they embarked became
disabled, and was driven by a storm into the Frith of Forth.
Malcolm Canmore, who was King of Scotland, chanced to
be present when they arrived, and so struck was he with
the extreme beauty of the Lady Margaret, that a few days
later he demanded her hand in marriage. This offer
pleased her brother Edgar Atheling very much, because,
not only was it a fine thing to have his sister in such a
lofty position, but Malcolm had received them all so kindly
and hospitably that he had made an excellent impression ,
so Edgar joyfully gave his consent.

The spot where Margaret first set foot on Scottish soil is
to this day called Queen's Ferry in memory of the circum-
stance.

Now, Malcolm could neither read nor write, and be was
so rough and wild, that many of her Saxon friends objected
to so pure and intellectual a girl as Margaret uniting her-
self to him. She loved him, however, and immediately
after her marriage she set to work to reform her household
as well as she could, and to introduce religious ceremonies,
which were sadly wanting.

Her husband felt her superiority, and had so much confi-
dence in her judgment that he left the entire control of the
royal household in her hands. He entertained such re-
spect and admiration for her virtues as well as her mental
qualities, that her influence over him was excellent.

All persons who were leading bad, immoral lives were
dismissed from the court, and no one was allowed to hold
an office of any kind who failed in honesty or sobriety.

Although grace was said daily after each meal, by Turgot,
the court chaplain, the Scotch nobles were in the habit
of leaving the table as soon as they had satisfied their

MATILDA OF SCOTLAND.

io68. Matilda of Scotland. 49

stomachs, without waiting for the grace. This displeased
Margaret, and she began to consider what she could do to
keep them in their seats without commanding them to stay.
At last her woman's ingenuity fixed upon this arrangement.
She ordered a cup of the very choicest wine in the royal
cellar to be served to each man after grace, and by degrees
she had the satisfaction of seeing not a single vacant chair
at table so long as Turgot remained. In time the " grace
cup " became an established custom not only at court, but
in the castles of the nobility, and the dwellings of the hum-
bler classes throughout the land.

Margaret was also a devoted mother, and bestowed a
great deal of care upon the education of her seven chil-
dren. The learned Turgot was their preceptor and con-
fessor, and when the queen was dying she said to him :
" Farewell ! my life is drawing to a close ; to you I commit
the care of my children ; teach them above all things to
love and fear God."

Her husband had been killed by treachery a short time
previously, so the five princes and two princesses were left
orphans.

Their uncle Edgar was very kind to them all, and placed
the girls, Matilda and Mary, at the convent, with their
aunt Christina, where he knew that they would have
a better training and education than he could possibly
bestow on them. There they remained for a long time,
and were carefully instructed in the art of reading as well
as in good manners.

Christina always hoped that they would both become
nuns, and considering that they were entirely under her
influence, with no parents, their brothers at a distance, and
no home but the convent, it seems strange that they did
not. But they were reserved for another fate.

In those rude times the Norman nobles were so rough

50 The Queens of England.

and uncultivated that they had no respect for any woman
excepting those consecrated to religion, consequently it
was a common custom for young girls to dress in nun's
attire for protection.

But Christina made her nieces wear the great, thick,
heavy, black veil because it was all settled in her mind that
it was to be forever, and whenever she saw Matilda without
hers, she scolded her and treated her very harshly. Poor
Matilda found it so uncomfortable, and no doubt unbe-
coming too, that she wept many a bitter tear over the
infliction, and the moment she was out of her stern aunt's
sight, she would fling the veil on the ground and stamp
upon it. During the seven long years that she spent in the
dreary convent, she must, many a time, have wished for
her dear father to relieve her, as he once did.

Matilda was passionately fond of music and devoted
much time and attention to this art. When she became
Queen of England she was exceedingly liberal in her re-
wards to those monks who sang the church service well,
and did everything in her power to encourage them.

While at the convent, this princess received two offers of
marriage. The first was from the Alan, to whom we referred
at the beginning of this biography. But fortunately for
her he died before she was called upon to give an answer,
for she positively asserted that she would rather wear the
odious veil forever than wed him. The other offer was
from the young and handsome William Warren, Earl of
Surrey. But him she did not love, and although he was one
of the richest and most powerful of the baronets of Eng-
land or Normandy, she refused him. She was somewhat
sly on this occasion, for she pleaded her devotion to a
religious life as excuse, though the real one was the affec-
tion she entertained for Henry, fourth son of William the
Conqueror.

Q'JEEN MARGARET'S CHAPEL IN EDINBURGH CASTLE.

Matilda of Scotland.

S3

She was then at Wilton Abbey, near Winchester, the
favorite home of the Norman king. Edgar Atheling, who
was very fond of his niece, went frequently to see her, and
Henry sometimes accompanied him. On such occasions
it is probable that Matilda managed to leave off her veil,
for she was too pretty not to be somewhat vain, and Henry
was too young and ardent not to have his
heart touched by her charms.

This prince was surnamed Beauclerc
because he was such a good student, and
Matilda was so well, educated herself that
she could appreciate his intellect and ac-
complishments. Therefore she preferred
him to Warren, and no doubt by a whis-
pered word, or a sly glance, succeeded in
letting him know it.

Of all William the Conqueror's sons,
Henry was most in favor among the
English, owing to his having been born
on their soil ; nevertheless it was a long
time before he became king.

When on his deathbed, his father called Henry to him
and made the following prophecy : " Thy elder brothers
may go before thee. Robert shall have Normandy, and
William shall have England, but thou shalt be inheritor of
all my honors, and shalt excel both thy brethren in riches
and power."

This dying prophecy was not fulfilled until he was thirty-
two years old, when Wat Tyrrel's arrow placed him on the
throne. It happened in this way : William Rufus, with his
brother Henry and a large party of attendants, were hunt-
ing one day, when Henry, by some mistake, was separated
from the others and found himself quite alone in an ad-
joining forest. Suddenly, the string of his cross-bow

THE BEACON.

54 The Queens of England.

snapped, and he entered the hut of the nearest forester to
have it mended.

A shrivelled-up old woman, who sat on the hearth-stone
and looked like one of the witches in Macbeth, saluted him
as king. He was very much surprised at this, and began to
assure her that she had made a mistake. Without heeding
his reply, she continued in a cracked voice, holding up her
long, bony forefinger in token of warning, —

" Hasty news to thee I bring,
Henry, thou art now a king ;
Mark the words and heed them well,
Which to thee in sooth I tell,
And recall them in the hour
Of thy regal state and power."

Henry was amazed, but had no time to reply before the
Red King's attendants surrounded the door of the hut with
news that their Sovereign had been shot and instantly
killed. Wat Tyrrel's arrow had accidentally struck him
in the head, and the unlucky marksman had fled to escape
punishment.

Prince Henry did not wait to weep over the sad fate of
his brother, nor even to see his body properly cared for,
but jumped into the saddle and made speed for Winchester.
The cause of this haste was that the royal treasurer, who
happened to be present at the chase, declared emphatically
that the crown now belonged to Robert, and started on a
race with Henry to announce it at the Norman palace.
But Robert was in the Holy Land, so, with drawn sword,
Henry forced the treasurer to give up his keys, and at once
took possession of the royal robes, jewels, and regalia. This
high-handed action caused dissatisfaction among those
nobles who owned lands in Normandy, for they were de-
sirous that their duke should succeed ; so it was resolved
to settle the question in the council chamber. All the

DEATH OF THE REU KING.

iioo. Matilda of Scotland. 57

nobles and prelates assembled, and while they were de-
bating the matter, Henry gathered a crowd about him in
, the street, and eloquently pleaded his own cause. First
he reminded them that he was a born Englishman, then
he made the most flattering promises, and concluded his
speech by assuring them that they should have an English
* queen, and be governed by English laws. Loud shouts
and hurrahs greeted his ears, and " Long live Henry, King
of England ! " passed from mouth to mouth, until it was
taken up in the council hall itself, and thus, by^the voice of
the people was the succession settled.

On the day after this scene Henry was crowned at West-
minster Abbey. The promises he made he fully intended
to execute, and set about his work of reform without delay.
His popularity increased, and when he made known his
intention to marry Matilda, a descendant of their beloved
King Alfred, and a girl educated in England, it met with
great favor.

He then made a formal proposal for her to her brother,
the King of Scotland. But the Abbess Christina was
determined not to give her up without a struggle , more-
over, she was a Saxon, and objected to having the Norman
line strengthened by such a union •, so she declared that
Matilda was a consecrated nun, whom it would be a sacri-
lege to marry.

Henry did not dare to act in defiance of the church,
though he had resolved on this marriage, so he wrote to
the Archbishop of Canterbury asking advice. That prel-
ate refused to decide so important a question alone, but
summoned a council of churchmen, before whom Matilda
was requested to appear.

This must have been a most embarrassing ordeal for a
young girl brought up in the strict seclusion of a convent,
but she was equal to it, and answered all the questions

58 - The Queens of England.

put to her clearly and intelligibly. They asked her whether
she had taken any vows, saying that if so, no motive could
induce them to consent to their being broken. The prin-
cess denied that she had ever done so. The archbishop
asked her if she had not worn the black veil at her father's
court, and subsequently in the nunneries of Rumsey and
Wilton.

" I do not deny," she replied, " having worn the veil in
my father's court •, for when I was a child my aunt Christina
put a piece of black cloth over my head ; but when my
father saw it, he snatched it off in great rage, and swore
at the person who had put it on me, observing at the same
time that it was his intention to give me in marriage, not to
devote me to the church."

Then she told how she had worn the veil for protection
at first, and afterwards, because her aunt would beat and
scold her whenever she left it off.

This explanation was considered perfectly satisfactory,
and the council pronounced Matilda free to contract mar-
riage with the king.

Now, although she loved Henry, and certainly had no
desire to remain longer in the convent, yet she hesitated
about getting married because she had heard the king
was not so good and virtuous as he ought to be, and she
feared to trust her happiness in his keeping. But those
connected with the Saxon royal line entreated her with
these words : " O most noble and most gracious of women,
if thou wouldst, thou couldst raise up the ancient honor of
England , thou wouldst be a pledge of reconciliation ; but
if thou refusest, the enmity between the Saxon and Nor-
man races will be eternal ; human blood will never cease
to flow,"

This was a strong argument in favor of her marriage.
She was to become a bond of peace to a divided nation,

"oo. Matilda of Scotland. 6i

and she ceased to object when Henry promised to be a
constitutional monarch, and observe the laws and privileges
established by Alfred.

Three years and six months after his coronation Henry
and Matilda were married, and the latter was crowned at
Westminster. Before performing the ceremony, the arch-
bishop stood up in the pulpit, and related the whole history
of the princess's life, because he wanted to leave no room
for doubt that she was justified in getting married. He
then asked in a loud tone whether anybody present had
an objection to raise. All declared that the matter was
rightly settled.

This marriage proved one of the happiest events for the
English nation, for the queen's thoughts were always for
the common people, and she urged her husband to grant
them all their rights and privileges. One of his first acts
was to abolish the curfew at her request, for she said that
everj'body ought to be permitted to sit up and enjoy an
evening chat just as long as they pleased.

Henry's Anglo-Saxon subjects soon became so warmly
attached to him, that they were anxious to show him an
allegiance which the stern laws of his father, or of the Red
King, never could have forced from them. They loved
the queen also, because they knew that a great deal of
their happiness was the result of her good influence.

PI.AVING AT BOWLS.

CHAPTER IV.

The royal couple lived at Westminster, in the palace of
Edward the Confessor, and Matilda devoted much of her
time to the care of the sick and the needy. She was so
strict concerning her religious duties, that every day in
Lent she went to Westminster Abbey barefooted and
clothed in a garment of haircloth. Then she would wash
and kiss the feet of the poorest people. One day a courtier
reproved her for it, but she replied, as the following curious
dialogue, taken from a rhyming chronicle of the day, will
show, —

" Madam, for God's love is this well ado
' To handle such unclean limbs and to kiss so ?

Foul would the king think if this thing he wist,
And right well avile him ere he yom- lips kist."
" Sir, sir ! " quoth the queen, "be still. WTiy say you so?
Our Lord himself example gave for to do so."

On another occasion, her brother, the King of Scotland,
who was on a visit to the English court, entered Matilda's
apartments, and found her on her knees washing the feet
of some old beggars. She looked up, and asked him if
he would not assist her in this work of charity and humili-
ation, for the good of his soul. His majesty smiled and
left the room without making any reply. Perhaps as he
had never had any practice in that sort of labor he feared
that he might not be able to perform it skilfully, or it may
be that he did not care to encourage his sister in the hu-
mility which she seemed inclined to carry to excess. How-

62

iioo. Matilda of Scotland. 63

ever, Matilda's good works were not all directed in one
channel, for she tried to benefit every class of her subjects,
the rich as well as the poor. Once when she was obliged
to cross the river Lea on horseback, the tide was so high
that she ran great danger of being drowned, so she caused
a fine arched bridge to be built high up the stream. The
Saxons called it the Bow Bridge. Then she built more of
these structures, and to insure their being kept in good
repair, she presented a mill or dwelling-house to those whom
she selected to attend to them.

She planned new roads and repaired old ones, thus facil-
itating travel through the wild, uncultivated parts of the
country, so that in time merchants could cross the desolate
moors with their wares without incurring much risk.

All this work was probably done during her husband's
absence from home when she was regent and could call on
the public treasury, for certainly her private purse could
never have enabled her to undergo such a heavy outlay.
But that made no difference to her subjects, for they en-
joyed the benefit of her improvements, and looked upon
her as a real benefactress.

Henry's wise laws did not give universal satisfaction by
any means ; for the Norman nobles objected to any check
being placed on their actions. They had been used to
doing just exactly as they pleased with only their sweet
wills to govern them, and now when they found that they
could not commit crimes and outrages against the lower
classes without incurring punishment of some sort they
made great complaints. They could not understand why
the laws that protected them and their families should
apply equally to the common people. Their amusements
were restrained, and their lawlessness no longer had free
play. So they spoke with utter contempt of " that Saxon
woman," as they called Matilda, and actually went so far

64 The Queens of England.

as to apply ridiculous nicknames to the royal couple, before
their very faces.

Just two years had passed since their marriage, when
Duke Robert returned from the Holy Land. He deter-
mined at once to invade England. Now, as Henry's fleet
was manned by Normans, under the influence of Norman
chiefs, they refused to guard the coasts of England against
their duke, but went out to meet him, and brought him in
triumph to Portsmouth, where he was joined by nearly all
the Anglo-Norman nobles, as well as a great many of the
English themselves.

Well, Robert marched straight on to Winchester, but with
all his faults, he proved himself a true gentleman on this
occasion ; for whSn he got there he heard that Matilda
had a little baby and was ill in bed, so he refused to storm
the city.

This consideration on his part pleased the queen so
much, that she used her influence to bring about a recon-
ciliation between her husband and his brother, and Henry
invited Robert to court, where he was feasted and enter-
tained in a sumptuous manner. The queen and her
brother-in-law had one taste in common : they both loved
music. It is only "a pity that all Robert's fancies were
not so refined and harmless.

Poets and minstrels from every part of Europe flocked
to Matilda's court to recite their verses or sing their songs
in her presence, and she took great pains to receive them
kindly and make them welcome. The only objection that
could be made to this custom, was that it cost too much
money, for the queen was exceedingly liberal with her
rewards. Robert was so well pleased with the treatment
he received at his brother's court, that he prolonged
his stay six months, and he and the queen passed a
great deal of time in each other's society singing and

1 104.

Matilda of Scotland.

65

studying music ; and quite a warm affection grew up
between them.

[A.D. 1 104.] The following year the Duke of Normandy
visited England again, probably to demand the payment of
his pension. As he
was accompanied
by only twelve gen-
tlemen it could
scarcely have been
his purpose to raise
a revolt. Never-
theless, when Hen-
ry heard of his ar-
rival he said, " By
my faith, should he
fall into my hands,
I will keep him so
closely imprisoned
that he shall never
give me any more
trouble."

A friend of Rob-
ert's heard this
remark, and has-
tened to warn him
of his danger, ad-
vising him to seek
the queen's protec-
tion, which he was very glad to do. She spoke kind
and comforting words, assuring him that she would do
all in her power to save him from the anger of the king.
But Robert was so alarmed tha*^ he scarcely listened to
what she said. He declared himself ready to make almost
any sacrifice to insure his personal safety, and even offered

NORMAN FONT.

66

The Queens of England.

to dispense with the annual sum the king regularly allowed
him for resigning his claim to the throne.

When Henry heard this, he
sent for the queen to come to
him and bring Duke Robert
with her. She did so, and
the duke thus addressed his
brother :

" Fair sire, I am come to
see you out of affection, and
not to injure either you or
yours. We are brothers, born
of one father and one mother.
If I am the eldest, you have
the honor of the crown, which
is a much better thing. I love
you well, and thus it ought to
be. I have given over to the
queen all you owe me for this
kingdom. We will be friends
now and exchange gifts of jew-
els, dogs, and birds."

The king replied : " We .will
do as you say, with thanks."

Now, one of Robert's vices
was intemperance, which was
so great, that he would often
be in a state of intoxication
for days together. So, not
long after his friendly speech,
when he was under the influence of wine, he accused
Henry of having cheated him out of his pension, by
making Matilda mislead him with her fair words. Of
course, after that there could be nothing but bitter and

AN EXTERIOR PULPIT.

/I04- Matilda of Scotland. 57

unkind feelings between the royal brothers, and Robert
made so many threats, that the king embarked for Nor-
mandy, determined to make war on him.

But when he got there,^nselm, the old archbishop,
effected a reconciliation.

Anselm then returned to England and gave Matilda
much pain, by putting in force a plan that he had agreed
upon with Henry. It was to forbid any of the Anglo-
Saxon clergy to marry, and to turn those out cf the church
who were already married. Two hundred of these poor
unfortunates stood barefooted in the streets of London,
when Henry returned, begging for compassion. He turned
aside, and showed plainly that they were to look for
neither aid nor sympathy from him, while the good Ma-
tilda wept bitterly, saying that " she dared not interfere."

At this time the royal couple had two children, a boy
named William, and a little daughter who was placed at
Wilton Abbey for care and education.

The Anglo-Normans were so much pleased with the
Saxon style of wearing their hair, which was in long ring-
lets flowing to their shoulders, their mouths and chins
covered with it too, that they soon imitated them. The
king especially was remarkable for the beauty of his locks,
which he cherished with care, though the Norman clergy
highly disapproved of such vanity.

One day, while Henry was in Normandy, he and his
train entered a church, where the bishop began to preach
about the sinfulness of this new fashion, saying, " It was a
device of the evil one to bring souls into everlasting per-
dition, the moustached, bearded, and long-haired men
resembling filthy goats." The discourse was so touching
that the King of England and his courtiers wept. Then
the bishop drew a large pair of scissors from his sleeve
and proceeded to crop off the curls and beards of his

(58

The Queens of England,

hearers, beginning with Henry, who was anxious to prove
the sincerity of his tears. Thus for nearly an hour the
church resembled a barber-shop, and afterwards Henry
published an edict forever ajjolishing such sinful adorn-
ments as ringlets and beards.

After this Henry pursued the war in Normandy, com
pletely conquered that country, and returned in triumph
to England with Edgar Atheling, Robert, and four hundred
valiant knights as prisoners.

ANCIENT WINDSOR CASTLE.

He then removed his court to Windsor Castle, which
had been completed by Matilda during his absence. It
now became necessary for Henry to spend part of every
year in Normandy, as he was ruler of that country as well
as of England.

In 1 1 09 he received an ambassador from the Emperor
Henry V., who came to make a proposal for the hand of
the little Princess Matilda, then only six years of age.
The offer was accepted, but the child was permitted to
remain at home until she had reached the mature age of
twelve, when she was married and crowned in the cathedral
of Mentz. The little empress was very kindly treated by

"19- Matilda of Scotland. G9

her husband, who was forty years her senior ; and she was
so amiable and pretty, that she won the hearts of the Ger-
man princes, his sons.

When Prince William was twelve years old, the king
took him to Normandy, and presented him, with great
pomp, as heir to the duchy. The barons and freemen swore
fealty to him.

The royal family passed the following Christmas at the
Abbey of St. Al ban's as guests of the Abbot Richard, who
invited them, as well as a large company of prelates and
nobles, to assist at the consecration of the abbey. In a
rich illuminated volume, called the Golden Book of St.
Alban's, (now in the British Museum,) is a liiceness of -the
queen, evidently made at this time.

In the year 11 17, a fresh revolt called Henry to Nor-
rfiandy again, and during his absence " the Good Queen,"
whose health had been failing for many months, died.
To the last hour of her life she was a beautiful example
of piety and self-denial, and her virtues had made her so
dear to her subjects of every class, that she was passion-
ately lamented by them all. She was buried at Westmin-
ster Abbey near her royal uncle, Edward the Confessor.

After her death, her three Saxon maids of honor retired
to a hermitage where there was a holy well, or medicinal
spring, and established a convent there. They were pious
ladies, always ready to bestow alms and relieve the sick and
suffering, and passed the rest of their lives in imitating the
charitable, worthy deeds of their royal mistress.

-Prince William never returned to England after the
death of his mother, but spent much of his time fighting
against the King of France, at his father's side.

In 1 1 19 he married Alice, daughter of the Eari of
Anjou. A year later he accompanied his father to Harfleur
for the purpose of embarking for England. The king set

70 The Queens of England.

sail the same night, leaving the prince to follow in the
"White Ship" the finest vessel in the Norman navy.
William went on board with a gay party of young friends,
and ordered three casks of wine to be given to the
ship's crew. This was a mistake, for the sailors were,
for the most part, intoxicated when they sailed. Prince
William, desiring to overtake the rest of the fleet, ordered
his captain to put up all his sails, and the " White Ship "
went rushing through the water with such dangerous speed,
that she suddenly struck a rock and began to sink. All
was terror and confusion. The life-boat was launched, and
the young heir of England, with several of his compan-
ions, got intent, and would probably have been able to row
back to the Norman shore in safety ; but the cries of his
half-sister calling on him for assistance reached his ear.
He commanded the boat back, and as soon as it neared
the ship, such numbers sprang into it that it immediately
sank. Out of three hundred persons who embarked on
the ill-fated vessel only one escaped to tell the sad tale.
This was a poor butcher, who climbed to the top of the
mast, and was rescued next morning by some fishermen.

The report of the disaster reached England next day,
but there was nobody bold enough to carry it to the king,
so for three days he was left in suspense.

At length his private little page was selected to break
the news to the bereaved father. Entering the room with
pattering steps and a sorrowful mien, the child knelt down
at Henrj^'s feet and told him of the dreadful catastrophe.
He sank upon the floor in a swoon, from which he did not
recover for many minutes. In all his life Henry I. was
never known to smile again.

[A.D. 1 1 20.] Three years after the death of Queen Ma-
tilda he "married Adelicia of Louvaine, sumamed the Fair
Maid of Brabant, a lady of distinguished beauty and rare

Matilda of Scotland.

n

talent, ^he occupied the English throne too short a time
for us to devote a separate chapter to her reign. She was
a good, kind stepmother to the little Empress Matilda,
and took excellent care of her. But she could not have
been very happy as the wife of Henry I., because his
troubles made him such a cross, melancholy old man that
even his greatest nobles were afraid to approach him. He
died in Normandy in 1135, and three years later Adelicia
married William de Albini.

She had seven children after her second marriage, from
one of whom by lineal descent were two of the most un-.
fortunate of all the queens of England, — Anna Boleyn
and Katherine Howard.

NORMAN TOWER.

CHAPTER V.

MATILDA OF BOULOGNE, QUEEN OF STEPHEN
(A.D. 1106-1151).

Matilda of Boulogne was the last of the Anglo-Norman
queens, and the only child of the Count and Countess of
Boulogne. She was educated at the Convent of Bermond-
sey, which was founded by her mother, but it was never
intended that she should spend her life there, because, at a
very early age, she was married to Stephen de Blois, a
nephew of Henry I.

Stephen was a handsome, bright, intellectual boy when
he went to seek his fortune at the court of England, and
Henry Beauclerc was pleased to have an opportunity of
showing kindness to the son of his sister Adela, Countess
of Bl^s, whom he had always loved very tenderly.

So he knighted the youth, and bestowed upon him the
hand of his queen's niece Matilda, the heiress of Boulogne.
After the marriage, the king presented the young couple
with the Tower-Royal, a strongly fortified palace, which
became their London residence.

Stephen had embarked on board the ill-fated Blanche
Nef, or White Ship, with his cousin William, but prudently
left just before the vessel sailed, saying: "She was too
much crowded with foolish, headstrong young people."

After the death of his son William, the king placed his
affections on his nephew, and always liked his companion-
ship in all his voyages. Stephen was a great favorite in
74

iio6.

Matilda of Boulogne.

n

England, for he was as affable and agreeable to the poorest
and humblest people as he was lo the nobles. His wife,
too, was daily winning hearts, and when the king's health
began to decline, it was fondly hoped that this young couple
would succeed him instead of his daughter, the Empress
Matilda, And so they did, for no sooner was King Henry's

ENTRANCE TO NORMAN CHAPEL.

death announced than Stephen left Normandy, and em-
barked for Dover, leaving the last rites of his deceased
uncle to the care of Robert, Earl of Gloucester.

He hastened on to London in the midst of a terrible
thunder-storm, and convened an assembly of barons, before
whom the steward of King Henr\''s household swore that
the late sovereign had disinherited the Empress Matilda

y(> The Queens of England.

on his deathbed, and named Stephen as his heir. There-
upon the Archbishop of Canterbury absolved the nobles
from the oath of fealty they had twice sworn to the daughter
of their dead king, and Stephen was crowned without
opposition.

This was easily managed, because the Empress Matilda,
being the wife of a foreign prince, was residing on the
continent, and therefore out of the wiy. Besides, at the
time of her father's death, her husband was dangerously
ill, and she had no thought for anything but the care he
required. When he recovered she determined to remain
quiet for awhile to watch the condition of affairs in England.

[A.D. 1 136.] Meanwhile Queen Matilda had given birth
to a son, who was named Eustace, and three months after
her husband had claimed the crown, her own coronation
took place on Easter Sunday, 1136.

Stephen began his reign by making some wise and pop-
ular laws, but he permitted his nobles to build or fortify
over a thousand castles. This was a grave mistake, because
the owners of these strongholds could shut themselves up
in them and defy the crown when they chose.

The first sad experience Stephen had in this respect was
when the Earl of Devonshire refused to obey him, or to
acknowledge his right as king. Stephen proceeded to
chastise him, when the King of Scotland, taking advantage
of this disturbance, invaded the northern counties under
pretence of revenging the wrongs of his niece, the Empress
Matilda, though Queen Matilda stood in the same degree
of relationship to him as the empress did.

Stephen met the King of Scotland with a large army,
but Queen Matilda interposed between the two sovereigns,
and settled all differences without any bloodshed.

[A.D. 1137.] This happy termination of the storm that
had been gathering was celebrated by a series of rejoicings,

1 137- Matilda of Boulogne. yj

but in the midst of them Stephen was seized with an illness
so serious that it resulted in a stupor closely resembling
death. It was reported in Normandy that he really had
died.

Thereupon the party of the Empress Matilda imme-
diately began to take measures to place her on the throne,
her husband, the Count of Anjou, entering Normandy at
the head of an army to assert her right. Then Stephen's
elder brother, Theobold, put in his claim. Meanwhile
Stephen recovered, and no sooner did he see the danger
that threatened him, than, leaving his wife to look out for
his interests in England, he hastened with his little son to
France, and by means of a large bribe induced King Louis
VII. to acknowledge the child's claim to the earldom of
Boulogne, which Queen Matilda had bestowed on the
child.

During King Stephen's absence some enormous fires
occurred in different parts of England which seemed to be
the work of discontented subjects ; conspiracies were formed
in favor of the Empress Matilda, and, what was worst of
all, the King of Scotland made another invasion into
Northumberland. But Queen Matilda showed herself a
woman of courage and determination, for she actually went
in person to fight the insurgents, and kept them at bay
until her husband arrived and drove the Scottish army
back into their own country.

The party that favored the empress had become so
powerful by the autumn of 1140 that, had she acted
promptly, she would certainly have gained the prize she
sought. But she did not enter England until Stephen had
taken possession of the castles as well as of the great wealth
of three bishops who had opposed him.

Consequently, when she took up her abode at Arundel
Castle, Stephen might perfectly well have made her his

78

The Queens of England.

prisoner ; but he remembered what a debt of gratitude h<
owed to her father, and spared her for the sake of his
benefactor. When she expressed her desire to remove tc
the Castle of Bristol, he was even so gallant as to offei

his brother, the Bishop of Winchester, as escort, and
to pledge his word that she should not be molested by
the way.

The Earl of Gloucester was still fighting for his sister's
rights when Queen Matilda went, with her son Eustace, to
France for the purpose of strengthening her husband's
cause by the aid of her foreign relations. While there, a

"41- Matilda of Boulogne. 7^

marriage was negotiated between Constance, sister of Louis
I., and little Eustace, who was just four years old.

Matilda was still in France when the battle of Lincoln,
so disastrous to Stephen's cause, was fought.

It happened that Stephen had shut up a number of the
Empress Matilda's partisans and their families when he
besieged the town of Lincoln ; among these was the Earl of
Gloucester's youngest daughter, who had recently married
her cousin, the Earl of Chester. So determined were the

father and husband to liberate her, that, with all their
followers, they swam across the river Trent, behind which
Stephen and his army thought themselves safely encamped,
and fiercely attacked him in their dripping garments.

Stephen fought desperately, until he was left almost
alone on the field, when a stout knight seized him and led
him captive before the Empress Matilda, who ordered him
into close confinement in Bristol Castle.

Then the Empress Matilda made her public entry into
the city of Winchester, where she was received in state -by
Stephen's brother, the bishop of that place, who excom-
municated all those who adhered to the imprisoned king,

8o

The Queens of England.

and promised absolution to all those who joined the cause
of the empress.

At this melancholy juncture Queen Matilda returned
from France. She at once made a personal appeal to the
citizens of London, with whom she had always been pop-
ular, and so readily did they listen to her complaint that
they demanded the liberation of the king. But her brother-
in-law, Henry de Blois, the Bishop of Winchester, paid no
attention to the demand ; he even refused to have Queen
Matilda's address to the Synod in behalf of her husband

A scold's bridle.

read aloud, and boldly declared the Empress Matilda
sovereign of England.

Then Queen Matilda made a pathetic appeal to this
haughty, arrogant woman in behalf of Stephen, who re-
mained, heavily ironed, in prison. She assured the empress
that the loss of power was of little moment ; all she asked
was that Her husband might be set at liberty. She even
proposed that if her life were spared, and her son were
permitted to enjoy the Earldom of Boulogne, she would
enter a convent, her husband a monastery, and promised
that both would forever forego all claim to the crown of
England.

114I* Matilda of Boulogne. S3

This petition, as well as all the others that King Stephen's
wife had made to the cruel empress, was rejected with con-
tempt. But the devoted wife was not to be baffled when
working for her husband's life and pardon, so taking
advantage.of a misunderstanding that arose between the
Bishop of Winchester and the empress, she induced that
prelate to absolve all those of her husband's party whom
he had previously excommunicated, and to aid her in the
deliverance of his brother.

Then, in the name of her son, Prince Eustace, she raised
the standard of the captive king in Kent and Surrey, and
a strong army was soon organized in her support.

Meanwhile the empress had become exceeding unpopu-
lar, and when the citizens of London found that she
proposed to treat them as a conquered nation, which her
demand for a subsidy proved, they asked leave to
deliberate.

The empress retired to her palace of Westminster, wher?
she awaited the arrival of a deputy with the bags of gold
she felt sure they would send. Suddenly the bells of
London rang out an alarm, and every man in the city and
its vicinity came out of his house carrying a sword. A
formidable army soon collected, ready to dispute any
unjust demand for subsidies, and proceeded to the palace.

But the empress, with her barons and chevaliers, had
made good their escape on horseback, and were far on the
road to Oxford when the mob broke open the doors of the
palace.

The King of Scotland was with his niece, but he was so
disgusted with her behavior that he made the best of his
way to his own borders. By the time the empress reached
Oxford, all of her train had deserted excepting the Duke
of Gloucester, with whom she entered the city alone.

With a large army ready to support her, Queen Matilda

84 The Queens of England.

now returned to London, where she was received by the
populace with open arms. Her next step was to go with
her son to the Bishop of Winchester and entreat him to
assist her in once more placing her husband on the throne.

He promised to do so, and urged the queen to put her-
self at the head of her army and march to Winchester. At
her approach, the prelate retired to his castle in the
suburbs, and a blockade was established that made the
empress tremble in her palace. No doubt, during the two
months of famine and warfare that succeeded, she regretted
more than once the scorn with which she had repulsed her
cousin's humble appeal. At last, when at least twenty-five
churches and monasteries had been destroyed, and the
empress knew that her position was becoming daily more
dangerous, she prevailed on her brother, the Duke of
Gloucester, to assist her to escape. He and the King of
Scotland attempted to do so by forcing their way through
the besiegers.

The Duke of Gloucester fought bravely, but was com-
pelled to surrender at last, when he was made captive and
conducted before Queen Matilda. The King of Scotland
escaped with the empress, and got as far as Devizes, where
the queen's soldiers pursued them so closely that they
would certainly have been captured but for a stratagem to
which the empress was compelled to resort for safety. She
had herself rolled in a winding-sheet, and placed in a
coffin, and was in this manner carried on the shoulders of
some of her faithful partisans to the fortress of Gloucester,
which belonged to her brother. There she was deposited
at last, after many hours of travel, worn out with fasting
and terror.

[A.D. 1 141.] The Duke of Gloucester was so necessary
to his party, that the empress opened communication with
Queen Matilda to effect his release. But the only terms

ESCAPE FROM OXFORD.

"41- Matilda of Boulogne. ^7

to which the devoted wife would listen, were those that
would secure the restoration of her husband. Consequently,
after many propositions had been made on one side and
rejected on the other, and after Queen Matilda had
threatened severe measures against Gloucester, the illus-
trious prisoners were exchanged. This important evetit
took place in November, 1141.

Stephen had another attack of his old malady soon aftef
his release, but he recovered with the tender care bestowed
upon him by his loving wife, and then ehtered the field
again, determined to fight more desperately than ever.

Then the party of the empress thought they would claim
the assistance of her husband, the Count of Anjou, for
which purpose the Duke of Gloucester was despatched to
Normandy. Before leaving England, however, he saw his
sister established at the Castle of Oxford, where he felt
perfectly certain of her safety.

But Stephen was so bent upon capturing the empress
that he laid siege to the fortress she occupied and reduced
her to such distress for want of provisions that she escaped
one night with only four attendants. The fugitives dressed
themselves from head to foot in white, and as the ground
was all covered with snow, they moved noiselessly and
unnoticed along, protected by the banks of snow and ice
along the Thames, through a blinding stonn that flew full
in their faces. When at a safe distance from the castle,
they walked faster, over hedges and ditches, until they
reached a town six miles off, where they obtained horses
and rode on to Wallingford the same night.

There the empress met her brother, who had just
returned from Nonnandy. The Count of Anjou had not
seen fit to comply with the request of his wife's party for
assistance, but compromised by sending Prince Henry to
see his mother, keeping their other child, Geoffrey, with

S8

The Queens of England.

him. He was evidently not anxious to see her himself.
Three years later the count sent a train of Norman nobles
to England to reclaim his heir. The Duke of Gloucester
accompanied his nephew part of the way, and then bade
him farewell forever ; for he died in October, 1147. De-
prived of the support of this true-hearted brother, the
Empress Matilda abandoned hope and left England, nearly
all of her friends having deserted her.

Stephen and Matilda were so delighted at the departure
of the empress, and the establishment of peace, that they
celebrated the following Christmas with unusual splendor,
and prevailed upon some of the barons to swear fealty to
their son, Eustace, then thirteen years old, and acknowl-
edge him as heir-apparent to the throne.

In 1 148, Queen Matilda founded and endowed the
Church of St. Katherine, by the tower; also the Royal
Abbey of Feversham in Kent. Then she spent a few
months quietly at the convent. But her health had begun
to decline, and she died of a fever on the 3d of May, 1151,
at the age of forty-seven.

She was buried at the new abbey of Feversham, and
was deeply lamented by all who knew her. About three
years later Stephen was laid beside his beloved queen.

NORMAN ROBE.

CHAPTER VI.

ELEANORA OF AQUITAINE, QUEEN OF HENRY II.
(A.D. 1134— 1204.)

Eleanora was born in the beautiful province of Aqui-
taine, a name that Julius Caesar gave to the south of Gaul
on account of its numerous rivers and fine ports. The
people liked the name and adopted it ; but it was really
the ancient kingdom of Provence.

Eleanora and her sister Petronilla were daughters of
William, Count of Poitou, such a good, piou^ man, that as
he happened to be in the Holy Land at the time of his
death, he was forever after called St. William.

The grandfather of these girls was William IX., not a
very good man, but a learned one, and an excellent poet.
The most polished and civilized people on the face of the
earth in the 12th and 13th centuries were to be found in
Provence, and their language, which was a mixture of
French and Italian, was particularly adapted for poetry
and music. This is no doubt the reason why there were
so many minstrels in that country, who wandered about
from one nobleman's house to another, singing their songs
and reciting their poems.

, William IX. was a troubadour, and his compositions
were so popular that they became models for all the others.
He was the most powerful prince in all Europe, but as he
advanced in years his conscience began to trouble him, and

89

90

The Queens of England.

he thought he must reform before it was too late. So,
when Eleanora was about fourteen years of age, he ap*
pointed her ruler of Aquitaine in his place, assembled all
the nobles of the land, and made them take an oath of
allegiance to her, because, as he told them, he wished to
occupy himself with spiritual matters.

This done, he planned a marriage between Eleanora
and the son of Louis VI. of France. The young people

had no objections to
offer, and they were
married at Bordeaux
without delay,

[A.D. 1 137.] As
soon as they were
crowned Duke and
Duchess of Aqui-
taine, William IX.
laid aside his royal
robes forever. At-
tired in a hermit's
gown, he started
on a pilgrimage to
Spain, and passed
several years in dif-
ferent caves in the gloomy, rocky wilderness, where he
ended his days.

Now, Eleanora was a great heiress, because all the rich
territory that her grandfather had owned passed into her
possession.

Afterwards, young Louis was crowned Duke of Guienne,
when he and his youthful bride were summoned to France
to attend the death-bed of his father, Louis VI., the good
king and wise law - maker. His dying words were :
" Remember, royalty is a public trust, for the exercise of

THE PILGRIM.

¥\

m

£L£AKORA OS AgUITAINB.

1 137- Eleanora of Aquitaine. 93

which a rigorous account will be exacted by Him who has

the sole disposal of crowns and sceptres."

Louis was impressed by these words, but they had little
weight with the thoughtless Eleanora. She was beautiful
and accomplished, but seemed to think that the chief
object in life was enjoyment. She was a fine musician,
and wrote some beautiful poetry, which she set to music.
These verses were remembered and sung long after she
had ceased to live, which proves that they must have had
considerable merit.

Eleanora's southern subjects adored her,, and were
dreadfully grieved whenever she had ta leave them to
return to her court at Paris. She preferred to stay among
them, too, because, as she had entire control of affairs in
the south, all was life and fun there, while her husband's
palace was under such rigid rule that it was almost like a
convent.

She gave festivals in Provence, called " Courts of Love,"
that were very popular among her subjects. On such
occasions she, with her ladies-in-waiting, would receive
all the troubadours who chose to come with their new
poems and songs. The ladies would hear them, and then
pronounce sentence upon them, and as Eleanora was a
very accomplished poetess, her judgment was considered
of great value.

She could not induce her husband to take part in these
amusements, yet she had considerable influence over him,
.which, unfortunately, once led him to commit an act of
great injustice. It was on account of her sister, Petronilla,
whose beauty was equal to her own, and whose sense of
right was sadly wanting. This princess happened to fall
in love with a certain young count, whose affection she
was determined to have, although he was a married man.
So she and Eleanora put their heads together and planned,

94 The Queens of England.

until they brought about a divorce between the count and
his wife for some trifling excuse. Then Petronilla married
him. But the former wife had a brother, the Count of
Champagne, who would not stand such treatment towards
his sister, so he laid the matter before the pope, who com-
manded the divorced count to leave his new wife immedi-
ately and take back the former one. This so enraged
Eleanora that she persuaded her husband to punish the
Count of Champagne. Louis, who had another cause of
offence against this man, did not need much urging, and
invaded his country at the head of a large army. They
destroyed right and ^ left until they came to the town of
Vitry, which they began to storm ; thirteen hundred of the
terrified inhabitants rushed to the cathedral and locked
themselves in for safety. The building was set on fire by
the besiegers, and every soul was burned to death. About
this period the eloquent St. Bernard came to Burgundy
and preached the crusade. Such crowds of people flocked
to hear him that they were obliged to meet in the market
place, for there was no church in the town nearly large
enough to contain them. King Louis and Queen Eleanora
were present also, and the saint spoke so eloquently, and
in such harsh tones, about the burning of the Vitry cathe-
dral that they both felt very repentant. The king resolved
to atone for the horrible deed by going to the Holy Land
to fight for the Christian cause. That was all very well,
and one can only admire him for such a resolution. But
the queen vowed that she would accompany her lord, and
lead her southern forces in person. This was a silly deter-
mination for a woman, and the excellent Abbot Suger tried
to persuade her to give up all idea of such a wild expe-
dition, but she had made up her mind to become a female
crusader, and no argument could change her. Throughout
her life, she was weak where she ought to have been

1 141- Eleanora of Aquitaine. 97

strong, and determined where timidity would have been,
by far, more becoming and womanly. The king did not
oppose her crusade ; but even if he had, she would have
forced him to yield to her will.

She received the holy cross from the hand of St. Ber-
nard, and immediately put on the dress of an Amazon and
mounted a horse. All the court ladies did the same, call-
ing themselves the queen's body-guard. Then they formed
in parade every day, and practised military exercise in
public, making themselves as ridiculous as possible. In
short, they were a band of madwomen, and nobody could
control them. When once they had become Amazons they
abandoned all womanly occupations, consequently had no
use for their distaffs ; these they sent to all the knights and
nobles who kept out of this insane expedition. Thus, many
of them being too weak to stand such a taunt, were
actually shamed into joining though their good sense
opposed it.

King Louis managed his difficult enterprise with a good
deal of courage and prudence, but it would have required
a greater general than the world has ever known to disci-
pline a regiment of fantastic women. The freaks of these
female warriors were the cause of all the misfortunes that
befell the army, for the king, after landing in Thrace, sent
them forward with his choicest troops, and told them
exactly how to choose their camp so that they would over-
look the valley of Laodicea. He remained about five
miles behind with the baggage, of which there was a large
supply, and had to stop frequently to fight the bands of
Arabs who attacked him.

Instead of obeying her husband's directions. Queen
Eleanora insisted that her part of the army should halt in
a lovely valley, full of grass and flowers. This inviting
spot caught her fancy, and military discipline became of
secondary importance to her.

98 The Queens of England.

It was almost night when the king approached the
valley ; he could not distinguish his troops on the elevated
ground where they ought to have been, and knew not what
to make of it. The queen was not encamped there, that
was certain, so there was nothing for him to do but to
enter the valley in search of her. Soon after he was
attacked from the hills by swarms of Arabs, and had to
move in and out among the rocks to dodge them. At one
time he barely escaped with his life by climbing a tree,
whence he fought desperately. It was daylight before he
discovered the troops that he had sent in advance. During
the night seven thousand French soldiers had been killed,
the provisions had been cut off, the baggage, containing all
the fine clothing of the lady warriors, had been plundered
by the Arabs, and the whole army was in great distress.
Fortunately, Eleanora had an uncle living near by; his
name was Prince Raymond, and he was the handsomest
man of his time. He threw open his friendly gates to the
defeated French army, and they were glad to rest and
refresh themselves after all the hardships they had endured.
The uncle and niece met for the first time, and were so
charmed with each other that Louis soon became jealous ;
so one night he hurried his wife off without taking leave of
his polite host. This made Eleanora so angry that when
they arrived at Jerusalem she did nothing but grumble and
complain. Most pilgrims had their piety aroused on this
holy ground, but it was not so with Eleanora ; she wanted
to get home, and quarrelled with her husband for keeping
her there. In fact, she never forgave him for forcing her
away from her uncle's agreeable company, and from that
time all affection was at an end between this royal couple
Eleanora was not willing to submit to restraint of any sort,
and her husband's temper was so tried that he resolved to
have a divorce. So, on his return to Paris, he consulted

1I5I- Eleanora of Aquitaine. go

his confidant, the Abbot Suger, about this matter. That
worthy man advised him to wait ; because, he argued, that
it would be troublesome for France to have to give up the
money Eleanora's provinces in the south yielded ; besides
Louis' daughter, the Princess Marie, would probably be
deprived of her inheritance if her mother should take it
into her head to marry again.

Louis accepted this advice, but he had his wife closely
watched, and would not allow her to go to Provence at
all. She complained of the stupid life she led in Paris,
and made great fun of her husband for wearing plain cloth-
ing and keeping his head and beard closely cropped, which
she declared made him look more like a priest than a king.

Well, in time another princess was born, and named
Alice. Soon after this event Henry Plantagenet visited
Paris. He was a noble-looking young prince, full of
energy and very intellectual.

[A.D. 1 15 1.] Eleanora fell so desperately in love with
him that without hesitation or advice she applied for a
divorce from Louis, and got it. No doubt the king was
glad to be rid of such an undutiful, unwomanly wife,
though he did have to give up all control over his southern
provinces, even Guienne.

Eleanora went straight to her favorite home, where
Henry Plantagenet followed her. He was probably not
so very much in love with her, for she was twelve years his
senior, but he needed her money and her ships to fight
King Stephen, and lay claim to the throne of England,
which he did during the first year of their marriage.

He returned in triumph, and was besieging the castle of
a rebel duke in Normandy when the news of Stephen's
death reached him. For six weeks England was without
a king, until Eleanora and Henry arrived with their young
son. They were crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1154,

lOO The Queens of England.

and such a magnificent coronation had never been seen.
The costumes of costly silk and brocade worn on that
occasion had been brought by Eleanora from Constanti-
nople. In one of her portraits she wears a close coif, or
hood, over which is a band of precious stones ; a rich
brocade gown is fastened with full gathers just below the
throat, and confined there with a costly collar of exquisite
gems. Over this is an outer robe, or pelisse, bordered with
fur, the large sleeves of which fall open from the shoulder,
displaying the tight ones of the gown beneath. In some
portraits her hair is braided and wound closely around her
head with jewelled bands, and over this is a piece of fine
gauze, which could be so arranged as to serve the double
purpose of veil or bonnet, just as the wearer chose.

Before marriage, the girls of that time wore their hair in
long ringlets, but the church required married ladies to
conceal their locks. After Henry I. cut off his curls, and
forbade his courtiers to wear their hair long, they adopted
wigs, but Henry II. abolished them, and appeared at his
coronation with short hair and shaven chin. His dalmatica,
or long gown, was of the richest brocade with elaborate
gold embroidery ; over this he wore the short cloak after-
wards called the court-mantle. This coronation introduced
into England the sumptuous robes of silk and velvet worn
by the ecclesiastics there on that occasion. The queen's
first residence in England was at a little village nearly
opposite to London, and she must have been struck with
the grandeur of that remarkable city, with its tower, its
tall spires, and the river Thames running through it, so
different from anything she had ever seen before.

Now, although she did not please her new subjects, who
were acquainted, of course, with her former behavior, they
felt the advantage of being connected with her Aqui-
tainian dominion, and in a few months large fortunes were

iiso*

Eleanora of Aqtdtaine.

lOI

made by the London traders in the wines imported from
the port of Bordeaux.

One of the queen's country residences was at Woodstock,
where rather a peculiar incident occurred. She was resting
in the park, concealed by the shrubbery, one day when
the king passed so close to her that she observed a
thread of silk tightly twisted into his spur. She wondered
where he could have been to have picked up such a thing,
so, as he moved off, she cut it, and resolved to ferret out
the mystery. Next day he left Woodstock for a long
journey, and the queen immediately thought that now was
her time to gratify her curiosity. So she sought the piece
of silk, which proved to be the end of a ball, and followed
its windings among the roads and thickets until she came
to a door cunningly
concealed by a luxu-
riant vine. This she
opened, and found
it to be the entrance
to a winding path
under ground. A
few minutes' walk

brought her to a bower at the further end of the forest, in
which sat an exceedingly pretty young girl embroidering.
"Aha!" thought the lady, "now we know where Henry
gets his spurs caught in balls of silk."

This girl was Rosamond Clifford, who was said to have
been a playmate of Henry's in his youth, and as she was
kept a prisoner, it is probable that she did not know of his
marriage until his wife informed her of it. At all events,
nobody ever heard what took place at this interview, but it
is certain that, in obedience to the queen's commands,
Rosamond entered the convent of Godstowe, where she
passed the remaining twenty years of her life.

THE MAZE.

I02

The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1 156.] Shortly after this adventure, the Princess
Matilda was born, and a year later the celebrated Richard
Coeur de Lion came into the world. In course of time,
Queen Eleanora had several other children, among whom
was John, surnamed Lackland, because once, when Henry

GODSTOWE NUNNERY.

II. fancied himself about to die, he left dominions to all
his sons excepting this one.

Little Matilda was three years old when she was married
to Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony,

A revolt in the south of France caused Eleanora's return,
because her subjects there insisted on having her to rule
them. King Henry escorted her to Bordeaux, where she
stayed with her son Richard.

MURDER OF THOMAS A BKCKKT.

iiyi- Eleanora of Aquitaine.

105

Great disputes had been going on in England for a long
time between the church and state, headed by Thomas k
Becket, the celebrated Archbishop of Canterbur)^ Prince
Henry was so devoted to this priest," who had been his
tutor, that the king became jealous of the influence exerted
by Becket over the mind of his son. In order to change
the current of the prince's thoughts, the father offered him
a share in the government of his kingdom. This was
gladly accepted, and young Henry was crowned. But he
had a perverse little wife. Marguerite, daughter of Louis
VH., who was fond of Becket, too, and she vowed that she
would wear no crown that had not been placed on her
head by that fascinating prelate ; so she remained with her
mother-in-law at Aquitaine.

King Henry met with so much opposition at the hands of
Becket that he became enraged at the very sight of that
priest. Once, when he was the subject of conversation
among his knights, Henry asked, angrily, "whether no
man loved him enough to revenge the affronts he perpetu-
ally received from an insolent priest ? "

[A.D. 1 17 1.] Four armed men instantly proceeded to
the cathedral, and slaughtered the archbishop while he was
kneeling before the altar in prayer.

When this happened Eleanora was still in the south with
her son Richard, who had been crowned Count of Poitou.
Suddenly she chanced to hear that Henry was thinking
about getting a divorce from her, so she resolved to seek
the protection of her former husband, the King of France.
Disguised in male attire, she stole out of the palace at
night, and started on her journey. But Henry had his
Norman agents on the spot, and they watched her so
closely that her absence was discovered in time for them
to overtake her. They captured her very roughly, and
brought her back to Bordeaux, where she was kept in close

io6 The Queens of England.

imprisonment until her lord was summoned. He remained
only a few days in the south, then went back to England
with two royal captives, his wife and the young Princess
Marguerite, whom he had not forgiven for scorning the
crown he offered unless it could be consecrated by his
enemy, Becket. Now, that he had her in his power, he
resolved to punish her. But after a few months' confine-
ment she was restored to her husband.

^Eleanora was not so fortunate, for she was kept a prisoner
at the royal palace of Winchester for nearly sixteen years.
During that time there was no end of strife among her
sons. The real mischief-makers were the troubadours, of
whom we have spoken, for with their inspiring war songs
they were constantly urging the princes to battle for one
trivial reason or another, even when they would gladly
have been at peace.

It must not be supposed that the queen was unkindly
treated at Winchester, for, on the contrary, she received the
attention and respect due to her station. While she was
there Louis VII., her divorced husband, died ; and shortly
after, the death of her eldest son, Henry Plantagenet,
followed. This was a great sorrow to the royal couple,
and Henry mourned with the deep grief of David over Ab-
salom. Still later, their son Geoffrey was killed in a grand
tournament in Paris.

In one of her letters to the pope, the queen thus writes
about these bereavements : *' The younger king and
Geoffrey, Count of Bretagne, both sleep in the dust, while
their most wretched mother is compelled to live on, though
tortured by recollections of the dead."

In 1 189, Henry II. died, and was succeeded by his son
Richard I., Coeur de Lion. About the first act of the new
king was to order his mother's release, and from a captive
Queen Eleanora at once became a sovereign, for the reins

TOMB OF HENRY U.

1204- Eleanora of Aquitaine, 109

of government were placed in her hands as regent. Her long
confinement must have had a good effect on her, for she
went about, from city to city, releasing all the poor people
that her husband had cruelly locked up for violating the
Norman game laws, and spent her whole time in acts of
mercy and charity. Richard was crowned in 1189, but, as
his mother's mourning prevented her being present on that
occasion, no women were admitted at all.

The king then settled a most liberal revenue on his
mother, and she went to Aquitaine, the government of
which was also restored to her. But she did not stay
there ; her old age was passed in England, where she
assisted her son in governing, and made him, as well as
herself, exceedingly popular.

Eleanora of Aquitaine is among the very few women
who, after an ill-spent youth, have become wise and benev-
olent in old age. But she had a great deal more trouble
to bear before her death. Her life exhibits many traces
of a great ruler. If she had only been blessed in her early
days with a good, moral education, she would have been
one of the greatest women of her time. Slowly and surely
she learned the stern lesson of life, which teaches that
without virtue, power, beauty and royalty are of slight
avail.

[A.D. 1204.] She was a very old woman when she retired
to a convent, where she spent many months previous to
her death, which occurred in 1204. She was buried by the
side of Henry II., and on her tomb is a reclining statue
said to be a good portrait of herself. The features are
noble and intellectual. On the head is a hood, above
which is a regal diadem ; and a blue mantle, figured with
silver crescents, is folded gracefully about her form.

CHAPTER VII.

BERENGARIA OF NAVARRE, QUEEN OF RICHARD I.
A.D. 1 165 — 1230.

Richard Cceur de Lion first met the beautiful, accom-
plished Berengaria at a tournament, and fell desperately
in love with her ; but, unfortunately, he was at that time
engaged to Alice of France, so could not offer his hand to
the Provencal princess.

Both Sancho the Wise, King of Navarre, Berengaria's
father, and Sancho the Strong, her brother, were poets of
considerable merit, and early came under the notice of
Richard, who was not only a troubadour poet, but as
sovereign of Aquitaine^ he was, besides, the prince and
judge of all the troubadours. Between him and Beren-
garia's brother a warm friendship was formed in early youth,
strengthened by their similarity of tastes.

It was not until after his father's death that Richard
was at liberty to marry the Princess Berengaria, to whom
he had been secretly engaged for several years. So she
was about twenty-six years old when Richard ascended the
throne of England. He at once sent his mother. Queen
Eleanora, to the court of Sancho the Wise to demand the
princess in marriage.

The royal father was much pleased, and placed his
daughter in charge of the queen without hesitation. The
two ladies set out together and travelled as far as Naples,
where ships awaited them in the bay. But the princess

iRENGARIA OF NAVARRB.

1 19- • Berengaria of Navarre. 1 1 3

would not joift her lover until he had broken off his
engagement with Alice; so she spent the spring of 1191
at Brindisi with his mother. At last a message .came from
Richard announcing that he was free to marry, then his
lady-love returned to France with his sister, Queen Joanna,
in whose charge she had been placed by the queen mother.

While Richard was Awaiting the arrival of Berengaria,
he instituted the order of Knights of the Blue Thong, to
scale the walls of Acre. They were twenty-four in num-
ber, and were distinguished by a band of blue leather
which each wore on his left leg.

[A.D. 1192.]- It was Lent when Berengaria met her
royal lover, therefore their marriage had to be postponed ;
but so anxious was Richard to begin his crusade, that he
set*out at once with his knights in his favorite ship, which
he had named '■'■Trenc-the-mere" meaning cut the sea. His
fleet consisted of one hundred and fifty ships and fifty
galleys. Among the latter was one in which Berengaria
and Queen Joanna, guarded by a brave knight; accompa-
nied the crusaders.

A dreadful storm drove the galley which contained the
queen and princess into the harbor of Limoussa, the capital
of Cyprus, but when Isaac Comnenus, the lord of the isle,
found out who they were, he brutally refused them shelter,
and they were obliged to row out of the harbor. As soon
as the gale abated, Richard Coeur de Lion, who had found
shelter in a harbor of Crete, started in search of his bride.
When he beheld her ship pitching and tossing in the Bay
of Famaguta, he suspected that something had prevented
the knight in charge from seeking the protection so near
at hand. Armed, as he was, he jumped into the first boat
that could be got ready, and when, on reaching the queen's
galley, he heard how the Lord of Cyprus had behaved, his
fury knew no bounds.

114 The Queens of England.

Determined to punish the offender at once, Richard led
his crusaders straight to Limoussa, and made such a sudden
and desperate attack that in a few hours he had captured
the town, and all the inhabitants had scampered to the
neighboring mountains for shelter.

Then, in response to King Richard's signals, the queen's
vessel entered the harbor and landed at Limoussa, where
grand preparations were soon under way for the marriage
and coronation of the royal pair.

The wedding ceremony was performed in the month of
May, 1 191, and King Richard gave a grand feast, to which
he invited the people of Cyprus.

On that occasion Berengaria wore a richly-embroidered
robe of velvet and satin. Her dark hair fell in curls, over
which hung a full long lace veil, fastened to a crown
studded with rich iewels.

King Richard wore a short rose-colored satin skirt, with
a brocaded mantle embroidered in silver. A richly jewelled
Damascus sword hung at his side, and on his head he wore
a scarlet hood, brocaded in gold with figures of animals.
He had a bright complexion, and curly, yellow hair, and"
his figure was a perfect model of manly grace and strength.

The people of Cyprus had been so tyrannized over by
Isaac Comnenus that they gladly consented to receive
Richard for their king ; therefore, by the advice of all the
crusaders who had witnessed his marriage, he was crowned
King of Cyprus, and his bride Queen of England and
Cyprus.

Then the daughter of the despot, Isaac, threw herself at
King Richard's feet and asked for mercy. He kindly
raised her from the ground and sent her to his wife and
sister, with whom she remained until the end of the crusade.
Her father was bound in silver chains and presented to
Queen Berengaria as her captive.

LEADERS OF FIRST CRUSADE.

1 192. Berengaria of Navarre. wj

Once more the fleet set sail for Palestine, and when
Richard appeared before Acre, the whole army of Chris-
tians, already assembled there, marched to the beach to
welcome him.

The town was soon taken, and before proceeding further,
Richard established his wife and sister in safe quarters
there, under the protection of a couple of brave knights, to
await his return.

King Richard distinguished himself by many brave deeds
during his Syrian campaign, and captured several im-
portant towns, but Jerusalem did not fall into his hands.
Once he was in sight of that coveted city, when the Duke
of Burgundy, who commanded the French forces, suddenly
drew back with his whole division when victory seemed
certain, because he would not have it said that the King
of England had taken Jerusalem. This act, which was
prompted by envy, was a serious blow to Richard, who,
throwing down his weapon, said, with tears in his eyes and
his hands raised to heaven : —

" Ah ! Lord God, I pray thee that I may never see thy
holy city, Jerusalem, since I have failed to deliver it from
the hands of thine enemies."

He returned to Acre in 1192, and, after spending a few
days with his wife and sister, saw them embark for home
on the very day he himself set out in the disguise of a
Templar to return across Europe by a different route.

His vessel was wrecked off the coast of Istria, and his
ignorance of geography led him to the neighborhood of
Vienna, the capital of his enemy, Leopold of Austria.

One day, after several narrow escapes, he sent a page to
make some purchases at a village near Vienna. The boy
was recognized by an officer who had been in the late
crusade with Leopold's troops. He was seized, and after
suffering much cruelty, confessed where he had left his

fl8 The Queens of England.

master. A part}' of soldiers set out for the inn designated,
but could not find King Richard. The landlord said, on
being questioned : " No, there is no stranger here, unless
it be the Templar in the kitchen, who is turning the fowls
which are roasting for dinner."

The Austrian officer, accompanied by his soldiers, pro-
ceeded at once to the kitchen, recognized the king, who
sure enough was busily turning the spit, and cried : " There
he is. Seize him ! "

Coeur de Lion started up and fought desperately for
liberty, but he was only one man against a dozen, who
captured him and carried him in chains before Leopold.

He was forthwith locked up in a gloomy prison, where
he remained for many months, no one knowing whether he
was alive or dead.

Meanwhile Berengaria and Joanna had landed at Naples
and proceeded to Rome, where they remained six months.
While there, Berengaria saw a belt of jewels offered for
sale that she knew Richard had worn when he parted from
her. This convinced her that something dreadful had
happened to him, but she had no means of finding out the
truth, and as soon as she could get a safe escort she jour-
neyed on until she arrived at Poitou.

As time went on, poor Richard fancied himself forgotten,
and bitterly lamented because he had no friend nor relation
who loved him enough to rescue him. But he was wrong,
for as soon as his mother heard of his captivity she spared
no pains nor money to obtain his release. It was a long
time, though, before the exact spot of his imprisonment
could be ascertained, and this is how it happened, after
many months : A certain troubadour knight who had been
with Richard when he was shipwrecked at Istria, having
heard of his captivity, wandered around through the
southern cities of Germany in search of him. One day he

CAPTURE OF ACRE.

"95' Berengaria of Navarre. 121

stood beneath the tower that formed Richard's prison, and
sang a song that he and the king had composed together.
When he finished the first stanza, the prisoner replied with
the second ; then the troubadour hastened with all speed
to Queen Eleanora with the discovery he had made.

She took immediate measures for her son's release, and
with the assistance of the pope, to whom she made a most
pathetic appeal, a large ransom was collected, with which
the devoted mother set out for Germany.

[A.D. 1 195.] After an absence of more than four years,
Richard arrived in England in company with Queen
Eleanora.

During his imprisonment, John, his younger brother,
had tried to possess himself of the crown of England. It
was the mother who prevented anything so^ disgraceful,
and who kept all Richard's dominions intact, and it was
she who proudly sat beside her brave son at his second
coronation, which took place in his own country.

Berengaria remained in France, and Richard was not at
all anxious to join her there, or to have her with him. The
reason for this remarkable conduct on the part of a hus-
band is that on his return to England Richard had been met
by his former bachelor friends, into whose way of living he
fell, much to the disgust of the more sober of his subjects.
He drank with them to excess, and led such a gay, bad
life, that Berengaria could not join him.

At last he became alarmingly ill, and began to repent
of his neglect of his wife ; but he knew that she was justly
displeased with him, and did not dare to approach her. So
he assembled at his bedside all the monks within ten miles
and publicly confessed his sins, vowing that if Queen
Berengaria would forgive him he would never forsake her
again.

A few months later he went to France and became
%

122 TJic QuccJis of England.

reconciled to his wife. It was a year of famine and of
suffering among the poor, and the queen used her newly-
restored influence over the heart of Richard to persuade
him to many acts of charity that preserved the lives of a
number of families. The Christmas of the year 1196,
which occurred shortly after the king's arrival in France,
was celebrated in grand style.

Berengaria accompanied her husband in all his cam-
paigns after that, and never left him during the remaining
three years of his life.

It was when Richard was storming the Castle of Chaluz,
in April, 1199, that an arrow pierced liis breast and caused
his death. He was buried at the Abbey of Fontevraud.

Queen Berengaria went to live at Mans, where she
founded the Abbey of L'Espan, and devoted her life to
deeds of charity.

She lived to an advanced age, and was buried at the
abbey she had founded.

She deserves to be remembered as a Queen of England
who was never in that country, and as a woman possessed
of many noble virtues.

COSTUME OF THE PERIOD.

CHAPTER VII.

ISABELLA OF ANGOULEME, QUEEN OF KING JOHN.
(A.D. 1 185-1246.)

John ascended the throne of England on the death of
his brother, Richard Coeur de Lion, and it was at a festival
given to him at Angouleme that he first made the ac-
quaintance of Isabella, who afterwards became queen.

[A.D. 1200.] She was just fifteen years old and so beau-
tiful that King John fell madly in love with her. She
was engaged to Hugh de Lusignan at the time, but" her
parents were so ambitious for her to be raised to the lofty
position of Queen of England, that they kept her with
them after the festival instead of allowing her to return to
the Castle of Valence, the possession of her betrothed,
where she had been living under the protection of the
Count of Eu, his brother.

Isabella really loved Hugh de Lusignan, but she was
dazzled by the splendor of the triple crown of England,
Normandy and Aquitaine, and, as her lover was absent, she
denied that she had ever consented to marry him.

According to the feudal laws of the thirteenth century.
King John, as ruler of Aquitaine, had the power to prevent
any marriage that the Provengale princess might contract, if
he chose, and to deprive her of her inheritance besides.

So, when King John and Isabella were married, in the
month of August, 1200, Count Hugh dared not interfere to
prevent it. But he challenged the king to mortal combat.

123

1 24 The Queens of England.

The reply he got was that if he wished to fight a champion
should be appointed for that purpose, but he was indignant
at such a proposition and determined to await an opportu-
nity for revenge.

Isabella sailed with her husband for England, where she
was duly crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Six
months of feasting and enjoyment succeeded, which were
only terminated at last by rumors of war.

Thereupon, King John retired with his wife to Rouen,
where he led such a life of indolent ease as to excite the
displeasure of all who surrounded him.

His mother, the aged Eleanora, was then residing at the
Castle of Mirabel in Poitou, and was the ruler of Aqui-
taine. Quite suddenly and unexpectedly her residence was
besieged by Hugh de Lusignan, whose plan was to capture
the old lady and exchange her only for his lost love.

But Eleanora held out heroically until the arrival of her
son John, whom she had summoned at the first signal of
danger.

King John's enemies had reckoned on his character a?
a sluggard, but they found their mistake, for when he
heard of the attack on his mother he hastened to Mirabel
with lightning speed, hemmed in Count Hugh and Duke
Arthur of Bretagne, who had joined him, and took both
prisoners. The one was his rival in love, the other in em-
pire.

Count Hugh was subjected to the most insulting treat-
ment at the hands of the king, who had him and the other
insurgent barons of Poitou chained hand and foot to carts
drawn by oxen. In this manner they were forced to
follow him wherever he went, until he made them embark
with him for England.

King John was not so cruel to his nephew, Arthur,
whom he merely had locked up in the citadel of Falaise,

ISABBLLA OF ANGOULEMB

I2II. Isabella of Angoulime. 127

leaving himself the sole representative of the house of
Plantagenet.

[A.D. 1204.] In 1204 Queen Eleanora died, and from
that moment her son John seemed lost to all sense of de-
cency or fear, and became more corrupt and wicked than
the most brutal of his subjects. Queen Isabella's influ-
ence was no check on his notorious conduct.

In 1206 he entered into a treaty with his prisoner,
Hugh de Lusignan, with whose aid he conquered the
southern part of France.

On his return to England he made some most unrea-
sonable demands of his barons, one of them being the
surrender of their children as hostages. Those young no-
bles who fell into his hands were required to attend the
queen, ser\'e her at meals and follow her at cavalcades and
processions. The Lord of Bramber resisted the King's
demand, whereupon he, with his wife and five children,
were all shut up in a room at the old Castle of Windsor
and deliberately starved to death.

[A.D. 12 1 1.] Queen Isabella had given birth to several
children, but that did not prevent her brutal husband from
treating her with extreme harshness. Once, when he fan-
cied that she had a fancy for a certain knight, he had the
man assassinated, and his dead body suspended over her
bed. Then he shut her up in Gloucester Abbey, where she
remained until 12 13, when it suited his majesty to take her
with him to Angouleme.

King John found himself again in need of Hugh de
Lusignan's ^sistance when Philip Augustus of France
seized the northern provinces. But that brave count
refused his aid unless the king would ^ve him his
eldest daughter, Joanna, for a wife. This was a singular
request, considering that he had once been engaged to the
mother, but he was gratified, and the infant princess was

128

The Queens of England.

forthwith handed over to him to be brought up in one of
his castles as her mother had been before her. Count
Hugh soon cleared the northern provinces of France of the
invaders, and then John returned to England to perpetrate
new acts of tyranny.

[A.D. 1 2 15.] After the signing of the Magna Charta,
which granted certain privileges to all his subjects, King

THE CRYPT IN OLD WINDSOR.

John behaved like a madman, giving way to outbursts of
fury, cursing the hour of his birth, and biting and gnawing
sticks and clubs until he reduced them to small bits. The
result of several sleepless nights at the fortress of Windsor,
the scene of many secret murders, was an ex|5Rlition to the
Isle of Wight, where, after idly sauntering on the beach for
days at a time and conversing with the fishermen, he
joined a band of pirates with whom he made attacks on
his own subjects. He was gone so long that everybody

JOHN'S ANGER AFTER SIGNING MAGNA CHARTA.

I2I5. Isabella of Angoulhne. 131

hoped he would, never return, but, like a bad penny,
he turned up at the end of a few weeks, when he was
joined by troops from Brabant and Guienne, whom he had
summoned to aid him in revenging himself on the rebel-
lious barons. This he did by travelling around among
them, obliging them to entertain him, and- then turning
upon them and doing some damage to their lives or prop-
erty. It was not uncommon for him to set fire to a house
in which he had been sheltered over night.

In the midst of this diabolical career, Queen Isabella met
her husband at Marlborough, and after spending a few
weeks with him, retired to Gloucester with her children.

While she was there, Prince Louis of France made an
invasion into England, prompted to the act by the barons,
who were so incensed against their sovereign that they
offered him the crown if he would come to their aid.

Then the tormentor tried to escape towards the north,
but when he thought to cross the Wash to Lincolnshire,
part of his army, his baggage, and his splendid regalia were
lost, and he barely escaped with his life. He arrived at
Swinshead Abbey ill and in a horrible temper.

With his usual brutality, he gave vent to his spleen by
saying, while eating in the abbot's refectory, " that he hoped
to make the half-penny loaf cost a shilling before the year
was over."

This malicious speech was heard by several monks, who,
thinking that John's outrages had extended far enough,
treated him to a dose of poison served in a dish of stewed
pears. Ill as he was from the effect of the poison, the
king insisted on proceeding on his journey, and was there-
fore carried on a litter to Newark, where he summoned
several monks for the purpose of confession. It was no
trifling matter for this sinful man to recount all the wrongs
of which he had been guilty, but having accomplished it,

132

The Queens of England.

he forgave his enemies and made all the officers about him
swear fealty to his eldest son, Henry. Then he expired,
having left directions for his burial. As soon as the news

MAGNA CHARTA ISLAND.

of the king's death reached her, Isabella caused Prince
Henry to be proclaimed in the streets of Gloucester, and
nine days later she assisted at his coronation in the cathe-
dral of that place.

CHOIR OF GLOUCESTER CATJJEURAL.

I2I7- Isabella of Atigoulime. I35

[A.D. 1 2 17.] Although the young king was only nine
years old, his mother was so unpopular that she was not
asked to act as regent, and before the year of her widow-
hood had expired, she retired to her native city of An-
goul^me.

The Princess Joanna, then just seven years of age, was
still at Count Lusignan's castle at Valence, but the count
himself was absent on a crusade.

In the year 1220 he returned, and frequently met the
mother of his little promised bride. The consequence was,
that his early love was renewed, and as Isabella was still a
very handsome woman, only a few years younger than him-
self, she was a much more appropriate mate for him than
Joanna could have been.

So they were married without asking the advice or con-
sent of any one in England ; consequently Isabella's dower
was withheld from her, much to the indignation of her
husband.

Now, it so happened that Henry III. was at war with
the King of Scotland, whom his council were anxious to
conciliate. They therefore resolved to offer the king the
hand of the little Princess Joanna in marriage, so when
Henry wrote his mother a congratulatory letter on her
nuptials, he demanded, at the same time, the restoration of
his sister. Isabella refused to give up the princess, because
she was highly displeased at being deprived of her jointure.

Thereupon the young king applied to the pope, who took
great pains to inquire into the merits of the case. A vo-
luminous correspondence was carried on between the con-
tending parties. The King of Scots insisted upon his
marriage with Joanna before he would come to terms ; the
result was the payment of all the money due to Queen
Isabella in exchange for her daughter.

The King of France was the liege-lord of the Count de

1 36 The Queens of England.

Lusignan, and it was so hurtful to the pride of Isabella tc
see her husband kneel at the feet of any man, that she
gave him no rest until he joined her son, Henry III., whom
she had instigated to undertake the conquest of Poitou.

Several years of warfare ensued, and at last the King of
England fled to Bordeaux. De Lusignan's possessions
were overrun by the enemy, and Queen Isabella was
forced, after much suffering, to throw herself on the mercy
of the King of France, Louis IX.

She went to his camp with her husband and children,
and, falling at his feet, begged for mercy. He received
them kindly, and granted forgiveness on easy conditions.

Nevertheless, so ungrateful did Isabella show herself,
that when an attempt was made on the life of good King
Louis, in 1244, it was proved that she had bribed people to
poison him. She flew to the Abbey of Fontevraud for
protection, and there hid herself from the French, who held
ner responsible for so much sorrow and bloodshed that
they gave her the name of Jezebel.

She died in 1246, and was buried in the common ceme-
tery of Fontevraud. Some years later her son, Henry III.,
raised a stately monument over her grave.

De Lusignan joined a crusade after the death of his
wife, and was killed at one of the battles in 1249. ^is
eldest son was known as Hugh XI., Count de la Marche
and Angouleme. His other children were liberally pro-
vided for by Henry III., much to the indignation of his
English subjects.

CHAPTER IX.

ELEANOR OF PROVENCE, QUEEN OF HENRY III.
(A.D. 1222-1291.)

Eleanor of Provence was married when she was only
fourteen years old, and became the most unpopular queen
that ever reigned over the English court. She was so
beautiful as to be called La Belle, but her judgment was
too immature tor her to stand all the adulation she
received without being spoiled by it.

Before she entered her teens, Eleanor had written a
poem in the Provengal dialect, which is remembered in her
native country .to this day. Born in that land of poetry
and song, of parents who were both popular poets among
the troubadors, young Eleanor's talent was fostered and
encouraged by the very air she breathed.

It was this talent that was the means of placing her on
the throne, for she wrote a romance in verse, selecting
Richard, Earl of Cornwall, who was then preparing a
crusade, for her hero. Romeo, her tutor, and one of the
greatest Italian poets of his day, was so proud of his
pupil, that he carried the composition to Richard, who was
immensely flattered by it. But he could not, in return for
the compliment, offer his hand and heart to La Belle
Eleanor because he was already provided with one wife ;
therefore he did the next best thing — recommended her
to his brother, Henry III.

So delighted was this king with the accounts he received
of the beauty and genius of the maid of Provence, that
137

138 The Queens of England.

he put a stop to the treaty under way for the hand of
Joanna, daughter of the Earl of Pembroke, and forthwith
despatched ambassadors to the court of Count Berenger
to demand his daughter Eleanor in marriage. With the
covetousness for which he was noted, he added a dower
of twenty thousand marks to his demand.

The court objected to so large a sum. Henry lowered
it, but even then the father would not agree, and so much
bargaining was the result that the high-spirited court was
on the point of putting an end to the affair altogether,
when a peremptory order came from the king to conclude
the marriage at once, with or without money. Then the
contract was signed and the maiden was delivered with
due solemnity to the ambassadors.

When she commenced her journey to England, the royal
bride was attended by a train of knights, ladies and
minstrels who accompanied her to the French frontier.
There she was met by her eldest sister, the wife of King
Louis, and after receiving the congratulations of her rela-
tives, she embarked for Dover and landed there January
4, 1236.

[A.D. 1236.] She was married at Canterbury, where
King Henry had received her with a splendid train of
followers, and after the ceremony the royal couple pro-
ceeded to London, where preparations on a very grand
scale had been made for the reception and coronation of
the new queen.

Her apartments at Westminster Palace had been newly
decorated and furnished by order of the king, and all the
streets of London had been thoroughly cleansed.

The 20th of January was appointed for the coronation,
and on the previous Saturday, Henry laid the first stone
of the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

The streets through which the procession passed were

£L£ANOR OF fROVfiMCB.

1236. Eleanor of Provence. 14I

hung with flags, banners and garlands of flowers, and the
houses were gaily decorated. Three hundred and sixty
equestrians, preceded by the king's trumpeters, who
sounded as they moved along, accompanied the royal pair
from the tower. These were loyal citizens, who, mounted
on richly caparisoned horses and clad in bright, embroid-
ered satin and velvet garments, each carried in his hand
a gold or silver cup to be used at the banquet. They
were called cellarers, and it was their duty to hand wine to
the royal butler, who passed it to the sovereigns. After
the banquet, the butler always claimed the cup out of
which the king had drank, the curtain that hung behind
the royal table became the property of the doorkeepers,
other perquisites being divided among the cooks and
scullions. King Henry was very charitable and did not
forget the poor, among whom a liberal supply of money
was distributed by his orders.

At this coronation were worn the most splendid gar-
ments ever seen in England. They were made of the
costliest satin and velvet, richly embroidered in gold and
silver, and the ladies wor€ head-dresses composed of rare
and precious gems. The queen's crown was worth ;{J^i5oo,
and her girdle was studded with jewels of great value.

The king, who had a taste for finery not often seen in
men, wore a garment of gold tissue that glittered with
every motion.

The expenses of Eleanor's coronation were so enormous
that the king had to petition the Lords for money. They
refused, saying, " that they had amply supplied funds both
for his marriage and that of his sister Isabella, who had
just been united to the Emperor of Germany ; and as he
had wasted the money he might defray the expenses of his
wedding as best he could."

Great dissatisfaction was felt in England oii account of

142 The Queens of England.

the number of foreigners who had accompanied Queen
Eleanor. Among these was her uncle, Peter of Savoy,
who by the end of a year had gained such complete con-
trol over Henry that all the affairs of the kingdom were
submitted to him.

Throughout his reign, Henry HI. too frequently made
demands on the purses of his subjects, to supply his un-
bounded extravagance, and Queen Eleanor was no check
to him in this respect. Their tastes were similar, and
Henry had in his wife a congenial companion, interested, as
he was, in literature and art. Her influence over him was
unbounded, and he was never known to refuse any de-
mand she made, no matter how unreasonable it was.

Their first child was born at Westminster in 1239, and
received the name of Edward, in honor of Edward the
Confessor.

An attempt was made on the king's life one night by a
crazy man named Ribald, who concealed himself in the
palace during the day and stole into the king's bed-cham-
ber at midnight. Fortunately Henry spent the night in
another apartment, otherwise the score of stabs that the
madman inflicted on the bolster would certainly have put
an end to his majesty. The shrieks of one of the queen's
maids of honor, who heard the would-be murderer shouting
horrible threats with each thrust of his dagger, aroused the
household, and the wretch was taken into custody.

[A.D. 1241.] In 1241, a year after the birth of her
daughter Margaret, Queen Eleanor accompanied her hus-
band to France, on an expedition against their brother-
in-law. King Louis. After a series of defeats, they took
refuge in Bordeaux, where many of Henry's knights and
nobles forsook him and returned to England. He revenged
himself by imposing upon them heavy fines, — his favorite
mode of punishment.

ANGEL TOWER AND CHAPTER HOUSE, CANTERBURY.

1243- Eleanor of Provence. 145

Henry and Eleanor spent a merry winter at Bordeaux,
amusing themselves with feasts and pageants that they
could ill afford, and on their return to England, in 1243,
Henry issued an order compelling the principal inhabitants
of every town on the route to appear on horseback to give
them welcome.

[A.D. 1243.] The marriage of the queen's youngest
sister, to the king's brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall,
who had become a widower, was solemnized in England
the following autumn. On that occasion Henry called
upon his Jewish subjects. to furnish funds for the sumptu-
ous festivities that he saw fit to give, and he spared no
expense, for the wedding-dinner alone consisted of thirty
thousand dishes.

But he remembered the poor as usual, and ordered all
the children from the streets and highways of Windsor and
its neighborhood to be collected together and feasted in
the great hall of the palace, after which the royal children
— of whom there were then three — were weighed, and
silver coin placed in the balance was distributed among
the destitute individuals present.

The following year the threatened war between England
and Scotland was averted by a contract of marriage
between the infant Princess Margaret of England and the
heir of Scotland.

England was in such a dreadful state of misrule at this
time that no traveller was safe from plunder ; and in some
counties no jury dared to punish the plunderer. Henry
himself sat on the bench of justice and tried many cases.
Once he summoned Lord Clifford for some offence, but
the gentleman not only refused to answer, but forced the
king's officers to eat the royal warrant, seal and all. He
was severely punished.

One great cause of Eleanor's unpopularity was the means

146 The Queens of England.

she employed for extorting money from her subjects. She
compelled vessels carrying valuable cargoes to unload
at her quay, no matter how inconvenient it might be, in
order that she might receive the toll. When the royal
funds were almost exhausted, the king and queen, with
their son, Prince Edward, daily invited themselves to dine
with the different rich men of London in turn, to save the
expense of keeping up a table of their own. They added
to this economical mode of living by insisting on costly
presents from their entertainers as a proof of loyalty.

[A.D. 125 1.] The year 125 1 closed with the marriage of
the Princess Margaret and Alexander III. of Scotland,
whose engagement had been signed seven years before.
As the bride was just ten years of age, and the groom
twelve, they probably had not much choice in this
matter.

On the morning preceding the ceremony, the youthful
groom was knighted at York Cathedral. The wedding
feast was served by the archbishop at a cost of four thous-
and marlcs ; and he supplied six hundred oxen, that were
all consumed at one meal. The costumes worn by the
nobility were, as when Eleanor, her mother, was married,
of the most extravagant material, scolloped, embroidered
and ornamented with costly jewels. The queen and her
ladies wore robes that trailed on the ground, but, as they
were the same length all around, they had to be held up
to enable the wearers to walk. The height at which they
were raised depended upon the beauty or ugliness of the
feet and ankles, no doubt. During this reign the hair was
. gathered under a network of gold, over which was usually
thrown a gauze veil. Unmarried ladies wore ringlets, or
long braids hanging down the back and fastened with
ribbons. A head-dress made in the shape of a knight's
helmet, with an aperture for the face to peep through, was

CHAPTER HOUSE, YORK.

1 25 1. Eleanor of Provence, 1 49

worn by ladies, old and young, in the street, and must have
been very becoming.

After Margaret's marriage, the king became even more
extortionate in his demands for money than ever, and thus
made a host of enemies. He applied for funds for a
crusade, but was refused, and shortly after he was called
upon to quell an insurrection at Guienne. This was the
result of the recall of the Earl of Leicester, who had been
governor there.

The earl had been replaced by Prince Edward, who was
only fourteen, and therefore incapable of managing public
affairs. Before his departure. King Henry appointed
Eleanor regent of England, but requested her to advise
with his brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall, on matters of
importance.

He sailed from Portsmouth August 6, and arrived at
Bordeaux on the 15 th of the same month.

Queen Eleanor's first act, on finding herself in power,
was to tax the London citizens more heavily than her hus-
band had ever done, and those who refused her unjust
claims were sent to the Marshalsea Prison. This conduct
aroused universal indignation, and the following year, when
parliament was summoned for the purpose of demanding
aid to carry on the war in Gascony, they peremptorily
declined to give it.

Every other means having failed, Henry instructed his
brother to extort money from the Jews, and no sooner did
he get it than he sent for Eleanor to help him to squander
it on the nuptials of Princess Eleanor of Castile with their
eldest son, Prince Edward. Queen Eleanor willingly re-
signed the cares of government to the Earl of Cornwall,
and with his wife. Prince Edmund, her second son, and a
retinue of knights and ladies, sailed for Bordeaux, where
she was warmly welcomed by her husband.

1 50 The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1255.] After Prince Edward's marriage, his
parents went to pass a fortnight at the court of King
Louis. The day after their arrival, King Henr}' distributed
so much money among the poor of Paris and gave such a
grand entertainment to the crowned heads assembled to
meet him, that it was called the Feast of Kings.

On their return home, which occurred January 27,
1255, the king and queen made a public entry into the city
of London, and received a present of a hundred pounds
and a valuable piece of plate from the citizens.

Shortly after, the royal couple were made extremely
anxious by a report that the young king and queen of
Scots were deprived of their rights and kept in close con-
finement by the regents. Sir John Baliol and Comyns.
The queen's physician was immediately despatched to Scot-
land to ascertain the facts. He managed to obtain a secret
interview with Margaret, who gave a lamentable account of
her treatment. She said, " that she had been rudely torn from
her husband and shut up in a dismal place, the dampness of
which had seriously injured her health, and, so far from
having any share in the government, she and he were
treated with disrespect and were in danger of their lives."

Queen Eleanor was so distressed at the condition of her
child, that she accompanied the king on a northern cam-
paign, constantly urging him to do something to aid her.
The Earl of Gloucester was sent to Scotland for that pur-
pose, and with John Mansel gained admittance to Edin-
burgh castle, by disguising themselves in the dress of
Baliol's tenants. Then, secretly admitting their followers,
they surprised the garrison, restored the young king and
queen to each other's society and carried their cruel
jailers, Baliol and Ross, before King Henry at Alnwick.
Throwing themselves at the feet of the sovereign, the trai-
tors implored for mercy and were forgiven, but as Baliol

1255-

Eleanor of Provence.

153

was Henry's own subject he had to pay a heavy fine, which
his majesty pocketed for his own private wants.

Queen Eleanor was lying ill at Wark Castle, and re-
quested her daughter Margaret, with the young king of
Scotland, to join her without delay. They obeyed, and as
soon as the royal mother was convalescent, accompanied

GATEWAY AND KEEP, ALNWICK.

her to Woodstock, where King Henry joined them. The
court was kept with extraordinary splendor at that beauti-
ful palace, which contained three kings and three queens,
with their retinues, during the winter of 1255, for besides
the English and the Scottish royal couples, there was
Richard, Earl of Cornwall, who had been elected King of
the Romans, and his second wife, Queen Eleanor's sister.

They all made a public entry into London in February,
wearing their crowns and royal robes, and the entire popu-

154 '^^^'^ Queens of England.

lace assembled to witness the splendid procession. After
the departure of the royal visitors, there was a season of
misery and gloom caused by a dreadful famine, and by the
drain that had been made on the public treasury by the
King and Queen of the Romans, who, on departing for Aix-
la-Chapelle, where they were to be crowned, carried with
them seven hundred thousand pounds sterling. Added to
this were the battles of the barons, to whom both Henry
and Eleanor had made themselves obnoxious by frequent
acts of selfishness and injustice, and finally the shameful
attack upon the Jews, whose wealth had excited the envy of
the nation.

The mob was led on by the Marshal of London and
John Fitz-John, a powerful baron, killing and plundering
without mercy, men, women and children of that noble
race, and driving hundreds from their beds into the street
half clad as they were. The next morning they began
again with such demoniacal yells that the queen, who was
at the Tower, was so terrified that she got into her barge
with several of her ladies, intending to escape to Windsor
Castle. But as soon as the populace observed the royal
barge, they made a rush for the bridge, crying : *' Drown
the witch ! — drown the witch ! " at the same pelting the
queen with mud and trying to sink the vessel by hurling
down huge blocks of wood and stone that they tore
from the unfinished bridge. There was nothing for
Eleanor to do but to hasten back to the Tower, where she
remained until nightfall, then sought shelter in the Bishop
of London's palace at St. Paul's, whence she was privately
removed to Windsor Castle, where Prince Edward was
garrisoned with his troops.

[A.D. 1264.] While the civil war continued King Henry
took the queen and her children to France, where she re-
mained under the care of King Louis and her sister Mar-
garet

KING HENRY AND HIS BARONS.

1 264. Eleanor of Provence. 157

At the battle of Lewes, the king and Prince Edward
were captured and locked up in the Castle of Wallingford.
As soon as Eleanor heard their sad fate she sent word to
Sir Warren de Basingbourne, her son's favorite knight, that
Wallingford was feebly guarded and could not resist an
attack. Sir Warren lost no time in crossing the country
with three hundred horsemen, and laid siege to the castle,
which, contrary to his expectation, was warmly defended.
At last the besiegers called out to Sir Warren that "if
they wanted Prince Edward, they should have him bound
hand and foot, and shot from the mangonel " — a war
engine used for throwing stones. On hearing this, the
prince begged leave to speak with his friends, and appear-
ing on the wall " assured them that if they persevered in
the siege, he should be destroyed." Thereupon Sir War-
ren and his chevaliers withdrew.

The royal prisoners were afterwards removed to Kenil-
worth Castle, and Lady Maud Mortimer, who was warmly
attached to the queen, helped Prince Edward to escape.
Having sent him the necessary instructions, she had a
swift horse concealed in a thicket on a certain day when it
was planned that he was to ride races with his attendants.
When all the horses were tired out, he approached the spot
where Lady Maud's fresh one awaited him, and after
mounting, he turned to his guard and said : " Commend
me to my sire, the king, and tell him I shall soon be at
liberty." He then galloped off to a hill, about a mile
distant, where a band of armed knights awaited him.

Although the queen was living in France at this time,
she made several secret visits to England, to ascertain the
true state of affairs there. After her husband's dreadful
defeat at Lewes, she pawned all her jewels, and, with the
money thus raised, collected a powerful army that might
have subdued the whole kingdom if they had ever reached

158 TJie Queens of England

it. But the Almighty mercifully ordained otherwise, and
before Queen Eleanor, with her foreign troops, set sail,
the battle of Evesham was fought and won by Prince
Edward.

[A.D. 1265.] At this battle King Henry was wounded
in the shoulder and would have been cut down by one of
his own soldiers, who mistook him for an enemy, had be
not cried out in a feeble voice : " Slay me not, I am Henry
of Winchester, your king,"

An officer who happened to be within hearing, conducted
him to Prince Edward, and thus the royal father and son
met once more. After tenderly embracing his sire, the
prince knelt to receive his blessing.

A succession of victories for Edward soon put an end to
the barons' wars and reinstated the royal family of
England. It is much to the credit of King Henry, that
after he was restored to power, not one of his enemies Ix^as
brought to the scaffold. But he punished them with such
heavy fines that many of the rebel barons were reduced to
penury.

[A.D. 1269.] Henry HI. lived to witness the comple-
tion of St. Edward's chapel at Westminster, which he had
begun fifty years before. On St. Edward's day, October 13,
1269, assisted by his two sons and his brother, the King
of the Romans, he bore the bier of Edward the Confessor
to the chapel and deposited it in the new receptacle.
This ceremony was witnessed by the whole court, and
Queen Eleanor offered at the shrine a silver image of the
Virgin, besides jewels of great value. King Henry
reserved the old coffin of the saint for his own use, and
was placed in it just three years later, having expired on
the 1 6th of November, 1272.

He was buried at Westminster Abbey, near the shrine
of Edward the Confessor. His funeral was conducted with

I29I-

Eleanor of Provence.

159

great magnificence by the Knights Templars — military
monks who, in the middle ages, acted as bankers and
money-brokers to all Europe — and they raised a fine
monument to his memory, which was afterwards inlaid with
precious stones brought from the Holy Land for that pur-
pose, by Edward I., King Henry's heir.

Queen Margaret, of Scotland, followed her royal father
to the grave within the year, and then, bowed down with
suffering and sorrow. Queen Eleanor retired to Ambres-
bury, where four years later she entered the convent and
took the veil.

[A.D. 1 29 1.] She survived her husband nineteen years,
and when she died her body was embalmed and placed in
a vault until King Edward, her son, returned from his
campaign in Scotland. Then he summoned all his barons
■ and clergy to Ambresbury, where the funeral rites were
duly performed and his mother's body was buried. Her
heart was conveyed to London and interred in a church.

CHAPTER X.

ELEANORA OF CASTILE, FIRST QUEEN OF
EDWARD I. (A.D. 1244-1291).

Edward I. was only fifteen years old when he accompa-
nied his mother across the Pyrenees from Bordeaux, to
claim the hand of Eleanora, sister to King Alphonso of
Castile, to whom he had been betrothed several months
before.

[A.D, 1256.] The marriage was solemnized a few days
after his arrival, feasts and tournaments in honor of the
event followed, and then the little bride of ten years pro-
ceeded with her lord to Paris. She was present at the
feast of kings, given by King Henry to celebrate his
son's marriage, of which mention is made in the preceding
reign.

When Henry III. and Queen Eleanor returned to
England, the young couple went with them and made their
public entry into the metropolis in grand state.

Among the numerous entertainments given to welcome
the bride, that which took place at the house of John
Mansel, the secretary of state, was the most remarkable.
All the royal family, with their entire retinue, were present,
and as the mansion was by no means capacious enough to
accommodate so large a party, tents were erected on the
surrounding grounds. Considering that seven hundred
messes of meat were served at one meal, it is not surprising
that Mansel's house was too small.
160

ELEANORA OF CASTILE.

1267. Eleanora of Castile. 163

A few months later, Prince Edward took his little wife
to Bordeaux to complete her education, which had scarcely
begun at the time of her marriage. While she pursued
her studies, the prince led the life of a knight-errant,
wandering from place to place, and taking part in various
tilting matches and tournaments until summoned to
England to take part in the civil wars that resulted, after
several years, in the complete restoration of Henry III.

[A.D. 1265.] Peace was so far established in 1265 as
to warrant the return of Queen Eleanor, who took her
daughter-in-law home with her.

Prince Edward met the ladies at Dover, and was de-
lighted to welcome his wife, who had, during her absence,
developed into a remarkably handsome woman. She had
clear cut, delicate features, a fine figure, and magnificent
black hair, peculiar to Spanish ladies.

The young couple set up their establishment at the
palace of Savoy, built by Edward's uncle, but passed much
of their time at Windsor Castle, where, a year later, their
first son was born. He received the name of John, aftej
his unworthy grandfather. In 1267 a second son was born
and named Henry.

Prince Edward was too restless a man and too much of
a soldier to settle down to a life of luxury and ease, and
an escape from injury, or perhaps death, that he had one
day when playing chess at Windsor, turned his thoughts
towards a crusade. He had just left the table, with no
special purpose, when the centre stone of the ceiling fell
and crushed the chair he had occupied. This circumstance
convinced him that he was under Divine protection and
that his life was spared for some great work.

He therefore began his preparations for a campaign in
Syria forthwith. Prince Edward was eminently fitted for
a crusader, being a powerful man, t^U, well formed, re-

164 The Queens of England.

markably agile in wielding his sword, and an excellent
horseman.

His wife loved him so fondly that she resolved to
accompany him, though it was a sacrifice to leave her two
lovely little boys. All the hardships and dangers attendant
upon a crusade were laid before Eleanora in graphic
colors, but she was willing to brave them all rather than
let her husband go without her. " Nothing," said this
faithful wife, " ought to part those whom God hath joined,
and the way to heaven is as near, if not nearer, from
Syria as from England or my native Spain."

Before leaving England, Eleanora, in company \vith
Queen Eleanor, visited the various shrines throughout the
kingdom and made offerings, some of them being of great
value.

[A.D. 1270.] In the spring of 1270 the young couple
bade farewell to the two sons they were never to see
again, and set sail for Bordeaux, thence to Sicily, where
they were to be joined by King Louis of France, with his
army.

But the death of King Louis occurring at this time,
deprived Prince Edward of the aid he had counted on,
and caused his detention for several months. The King
of Sicily tried to persuade him to abandon the crusade,
but heroically striking his breast the prince exclaimed : —
" Sang de Dieic, if all should desert me, I would lay siege
to Acre, if only attended by FoweiL my groom ! "

In the spring and summer of 1271 Edward made two
successful campaigns and defeated the Saracens with
great slaughter. Returning to Cyprus for reinforcements,
he undertook the siege of Acre, and established a reputa-
tion in the Holy Land, not inferior to that of his great
uncle, Coeur de Lion.

The Saracen admiral, bent on revenge, sent a messen-

1 270. Eleanora of Castile. 167

ger several times to the prince, with letters, in which he
expressed his desire to become a Christian convert. He
was always received in private, because the admiral's life
would be in danger from his own people .unless the utmost
secrecy were observed. The fifth time the ambassador
presented himself, Edward was lying on a lounge, clad in
a loose garment, as the weather was very warm. He was
soon absorbed in the letters that had been written on pur-
pose to please him. Suddenly the letter-carrier drew forth
a poniard and aimed at the prince, who fortunately per-
ceived the treachery in time to receive the blow on his
arm. The man made another attempt, but Edward felled
him to the ground with a powerful kick in the breast, then
seizing a stool, killed him outright. The sound of the
scuffle brought in Prince Edward's attendants, one of
whom beat out the brains of the treacherous messenger.
" What was the use of striking a dead man ? " asked the
prince, with stern reproach.

A surgical operation became necessary before the
wounded arm could be cured, but at the end of a fortnight
Edward was able to mount his horse, the attention and
good nursing of his wife having hastened his recovery.

Eleanora had a little princess soon afterward, and called
her Joanna of Acre, from the place of her birth.

As his army had become much reduced, Prince Edward
took leave of the Holy Land and returned to Sicily with his
wife and infant. Sad news awaited them, for a messenger
announced the death of their two little boys in England, and
they had scarcely recovered from the shock when another
arrived to inform them that Henry HI. also had died.

The firmness and resignation with which Edward had
borne the loss of his sons now gave way to an outburst of
grief that surprised every one, particularly as his father's
death made him King of England. When questioned on

1 68 The Queens of England.

the subject Edward replied : " The loss of infants may be
repaired by the same God that gave them, but when a man
has lost a good father it is not in the course of nature for
God to send him another."

The royal pair spent a year in Rome before returning
to England. During their passage through France,
Edward took part in several tournaments, and did not
land at Dover with his wife until August 2, 1273.

[A.D. 1273.] Preparations for their coronation were
speedily concluded, and that important ceremony took
place on the 19th of August. Great enthusiasm was
exhibited by the citizens of London, who had enjoyed
a season of such prosperity since the establishment of
peace that they were anxious to prove their loyalty to the
new king and queen by lavish expenditure. Both houses
of parliament assembled to welcome their majesties, and
for two weeks after the coronation banquets were served
every day in the wooden buildings that had been erected
in the palace grounds for that purpose. The rich and the
poor, the country yeoman and the Londoner, were welcomed
alike and entertained free of charge. It was a fortnight
of universal rejoicing, and the opening reign promised to
be an exceedingly popular one. But the most remarkable
feature of the coronation was this : while the king was at a
feast prepared in the palace for the lords who had attended
him during the ceremony, King Alexander of Scotland
came to pay his respects, accompanied by a hundred
knights. They arrived on horseback, and, as each man
alighted, his horse was turned loose to become the property
of any person, no matter what his station, who might be
lucky enough to capture him. Afterwards came Edmund,
the king's brother, the Earls of Pembroke and Warren,
with their train of knights, and the horses of this whole
party were likewise turned loose.

1283 Eleanora of Castile. 169

Llewellyn, the Prince of Wales, did not appear at the
coronation, and this displeased the king so much that he
sent to inquire into the cause, whereupon the prince
replied that as he had reconquered all the Welsh territory
that Edward's Norman predecessors had taken possession
of, he owed no homage to the King of England.

Later, when Llewellyn's bride was on her way to Wales,
her vessel was captured by the Bristol merchantmen, and
the damsel was taken prisoner. King Edward treated her
with courtesy, and placed her in charge of the queen at
Windsor Castle. Then the prince submitted to the
required homage with alacrity and went to Worcester,
where the King and Queen of England met him, bringing
his lady love with them. The marriage ceremony was
performed at Worcester Cathedral ; King Edward gave
the bride away, the queen supported her at the altar, and
both honored the marriage feast with their presence. A
year later the young princess died, then her husband
repented of his homage and suddenly invaded England,
but he was killed on the battle-field without accomplishing
anything.

[A.D. 1283.] Wales was in such an unsettled state in
1283 that King Edward found his presence there very
necessary. The queen went with him and established her
court at Rhuddlan Castle. By that time the royal couple
had several children, and their sixth daughter. Princess
Isabella, was born soon after their arrival in Wales.

The following year the queen removed to the Castle of
Caernarv'on, because it was the strongest fortress in Wales,
and the king wanted to feel that she was safe from insur-
gents. There, in a gloomy little chamber, ten feet by
eight, a prince was born on the 25th of April, 1284. The
room had no fireplace, but tapestry was hung on the walls
to keep out draughts. It was Queen Eleanora who first

1 70 The Queens of England.

put tapestry to this use in England in imitation of a
Moorish custom that she had seen adopted in Spain. A
Welsh nurse was procured for the infant, because the
queen knew that it would please the people to have a
native woman in that position, Edward I. was at Rhud-
dlan Castle, trying to negotiate a treaty of peace with the
authorities of Wales, when a gentleman arrived to inform
him of the birth of his son. He was so delighted that he
knighted the man on the spot and made him a present of
some lands.

The king then hastened to Caernarvon to see his wife
and baby. Three days later all the chiefs from the differ-
ent parts of North Wales met at the castle to tender their
submission to Edward, and to implore him to appoint them
a prince of their own land, whose native tongue was
neither French nor Saxon.

Edward assured them that he would comply, whereupon
they promised that if his character was free from stain,
they would certainly accept 'him without a murmur. Then
the king ordered his infant son to be brought in, and pre-
senting him to the assembly, said, " that he was a native of
their country, his character was without .reproach, that he
could not speak a word of English or French, and
that if they pleased, the first words he uttered should be
Welsh."

As there was no alternative, the rough mountaineers
kissed the little hand and swore fealty to Edward of
Caernarvon.

The queen soon removed to Conway Castle, where she
was surrounded with all the comforts and luxuries the age
afforded. Under her influence the Welsh made rapid
strides towards civilization, and she felt happy to be
among them ; but they had been so barbarous when she
first went to their country that the king had to threaten se-

1 291. Eleanora of Castile. rvi

vere punishment to any one "who should strike the queen
or snatch anything out of her hand."

[A.D. 1285.] King Alexander of Scotland died in 1285,
and his heiress, the Princess Margaret of Norway, was by
consent of the nobles of Scotland, solemnly betrothed to
little Edward of Caernarvon, Prince of Wales.

In 1290, Queen Eleanora was the mother of nine beauti-
ful princesses, to whose care and education she devoted a
great deal of time. They occupied a retired portion of
Westminster Palace, which was called in consequence,
Maiden Hall. One of these princesses entered a convent,
not long after the ninth one was born, and during the same
year three others married. The rejoicings that attended
the nuptial ceremonies were suddenly brought to a close
by a dreadful calamity. It had been arranged that the
little Queen Margaret of Scotland should go to England to
be educated under the guidance of Queen Eleanora, but
she died on the voyage. This sad event was disastrous to
Scotland, and threatened the prosperity of the whole
kingdom, by severing the bond that would have united it
had the marriage between Margaret and Edward been
consummated.

[A.D. 1 29 1.] As soon as the king heard of Margaret's
death he started for Scotland, bidding his beloved Elea-
nora to follow as speedily as possible. But before he
reached his destination a messenger overtook him with
news of the queen's dangerous illness. She had been
attacked with fever while travelling through Lincolnshire,
and prevented from proceeding. Edward turned back
instantly, and everything was lost sight of excepting that
his dear wife was ill and suffering. Notwithstanding that
he pushed forward with utmost haste, he arrived too late,
for the queen was dead. King Edward's grief was so deep
for a time that he was unable to attend to public affairs of

1 74 The Queens of England.

any description. He followed the corpse of his wife for
thirteen days, stopping at every important town to have
a funeral ceremony performed at the largest church where
all the neighboring priests and monks assembled for the
purpose. As the royal bier approached London the offi-
cers and principal citizens met it, clad in black hoods and
gowns, and marched in solemn procession to Westminster
Abbey.

Queen Eleanora was buried at the feet of her royal father-
in-law. Besides the beautiful monument in bronze for
which King Edward paid an Italian artist ;^i7oo, he
erected others in the shape of a cross in memory of the
chere reine, as he called his wife, at each of the places
where the funeral procession halted on the way to Lon-
don. The last stopping place was the one now called
Charing Cross, a perversion of the original French, which
signified " dear queen's cross."

Eleanora of Castile was sincerely lamented in England ;
for as Walsingham says of her : " To our nation, she was
a living mother, the column and pillar of the whole realm.
She was a godly, modest and merciful princess, who con-
soled the sorrow-stricken, and made those friends that were
at discord."

During the reign of Edward L and Eleanora, sculpture,
architecture, casting in brass and bronze, and wood-carving
were encouraged, and many beautiful specimens of these
branches of art appeared in England.

Of all the children of this royal couple, the nun-prin-
cess and Edward IL were the only ones that reached mid-
dle age.

CHAPTER XI.

MARGUERITE OF FRANCE, SECOND QUEEN OF
EDWARD I. (A.D. 1282-1317.)

King Edward I. was so grieved at the death of his " chhre

reine" that he gave himself up to the deepest melancholy,
which lasted several months. He was growing old, and
felt the loss of his companion of many years most keenly.
However, he learned in time to submit to the inevitable,
and roused himself to attend to the aifairs of his kingdom.

No sooner did his ministers observe this favorable change
in the mind of their monarch than they set to work to effect
further improvement by seeking a successor to the defunct
queen. Their choice fell on Marguerite, the sister of
Philip le Bel of France.

[A. D. 1299.] After the usual preliminaries the treaty
was duly signed, and the marriage was celebrated at Can-
terbury, Sept. 8, 1299.

Marguerite was only seventeen years old, but she was
such a good, sedate and pious woman that her union with a
man old enough to be her grandfather proved by no means
an unhappy one. On the contrary, she exercised a whole-
some influence over him, and prompted him to many mer-
ciful and worthy actions.

It was due to her persuasion that the poor widow. Lady
Marguerite Howard, was released from a debt to the crown
which she could not possibly have paid, and many of her
subjects could cite similar acts prompted by her good and
tender heart.

176 The Quee7is of England.

The citizens of Winchester were deeply indebted to her
for preserving them from King Henry's wrath when Ber-
nard Pereres, a hostage from the city of Bayonne, made his
escape. He had been confided to the care of the mayor
of Winchester, and was looked upon as a prisoner of the
greatest importance. King Edward placed a sheriff in
charge of the city, deprived the people of all their liberties,
fined the mayor three hundred marks, and shut him up in
the Marshalsea prison until he should be able to pay the
sum. The Winchester citizens were in despair, and threw
themselves on the mercy of their queen. She recalled the
exhibition of loyalty that they had made when she appeared
among them a bride, and her heart warmed towards them
in their distress. Fortunately, she was able to aid them,
for the king had presented her with the charter of Win-
chester, thus entitling her to all the fines levied on its cit-
izens. With this document she presented herself before
her lord, and claimed the unfortunate mayor with his three
hundred marks, as her property. Edward yielded, and even
restored the liberties of which he had, in his displeasure,
deprived the Winchester people. They never ceased to be
grateful to Queen Marguerite.

But tliis occurred after she had been Edward's wife sev-
eral years. We must return to the beginning of her reign.

On the Wednesday after his marriage, the king was sud-
denly and unexpectedly summoned to Scotland because of
a rebellion that had broken out there. During his absence
the queen occupied apartments in the Tower, and as the
small-pox was raging in London that season, her court were
quarantined in that palace.

The following year she joined the king in Scotland, but
stopped at Brotherton in Yorkshire while he was fighting
his battles.

[A. D. 1300.] On the first of June, 1300, her first child

lARGUERITE OK FRANCE.

*3o8. Marguerite of France. 179

was bom. It was a boy, and Queen Marguerite gave him
the name of Thomas, after the favorite English saint,
Thomas k Becket of Canterbury.

The queen occupied Cawood Castle at that time, and
during the four years she spent in that magnificent fortress,
her husband was laying siege to one stronghold after
another, until Scotland was subdued from sea to sea. Stir-
ling Castle was the last one to yield, but when King Edward
made his triumphal journey home to England, its brave com-
mander, Wallace, was carried a captive in the royal train.

On their return to London, the king and queen gave a
series of entertainments to celebrate the conquest of Scot-
land. One of the grandest tournaments ever witnessed in
England took place at that time, at Westminster Palace, on
which occasion Prince Edward and two hundred other
ttoblemen were knighted. In 1308 the queen had another
son. She named him Edmund, and he afterward became
the Earl of Kent.

[A. D. 1308.] King Edward was on his way to Scotland
in 1308, but fell ill before he reached the border. He lin-
gered until the Prince of Wales reached him, and with his
dying breath commanded his son, " to be kind to his little
brothers, and, above all, to treat with respect and tenderness
his mother. Queen Marguerite."

Much sorrow was felt at the death of their warrior king,
but his wife mourned for the loss of the tender, affectionate
husband Edward had always been.

A few months after his death she went to France to be
present at the marriage of Edward IL, with her niece, Isa-
bella. On her return to England she lived in seclusion, de-
voting her time and money to deeds of charity. Margue-
rite died on the 14th of February, 13 17, at the early age of
thirty-six, and was buried at the Grey Friars church, a splen-
did building that she had founded.

i8o

The Queens of England.

[A. D. 13 1 7.] Her stepson, Edward II., had always loved
her, and to show his respect for her memory, he not only
had her pall draped with rich material of silk striped with
gold, but erected a splendid monument besides.

Queen Marguerite is the ancestress of all the English
nobility bearing the name of Howard, who unite in their
veins the blood of St. Louis with the greatest of the Plan-
tagenet kings.

OLD CHARING CROSS.

CHAPTER XII.

ISABELLA OF FRANCE, QUEEN OF EDWARD IL
(A.D. 129S-1358.)

Isabella of France was a princess of the very highest
rank, her father being Philip IV. of France, and her mother
Queen of Navarre. But she was likewise one of the worst
women that ever occupied the throne of England. She*
was bom in 1295, and when only nine years of age was be-
trothed to Edward, Prince of Wales. At that time her
father agreed to settle on her the sum of ;^ 18,000 for her
marriage portion.

He was not rich enough to give her so much money, but
he got possession of it by murdering and robbing the poor
Knights Templars — a religious body first established at
Jerusalem to protect pilgrims travelling in the Holy Land.
Such ill-gotten gain could not be expected to bestow much
pleasure or profit on the possessor of it.

When Edward I. was dying, he charged his son to lose
no time in completing the arrangements for his marriage,
and the prince had received such favorable reports con-
cerning the personal charms of his lady-love that he has-
tened to obey. Before the king was buried he dispatched
two earls to France to appoint the wedding day.

He was so much in love, that it is said he lost the king-
dom of Scotland by hurrying away to get married when his
presence in that country would have made him its sovereign.

He need not have been in such hastfe, for Isabella was
scarcely fourteen years of age, and perhaps if he hadwai'^d

181

1 82 The Queens of England.

until her mind was more matured, she would not have acted
so unwisely as she did on several occasions afterwards.

Grand preparations were made at Westminster Palace for
the reception of the young queen. The royal apartments
were re-decorated and handsomely furnished, the gardens
were newly laid out and planted with the rarest flowers, the
fish-ponds were all cleaned out and freshly supplied, and
Queen's Bridge was repaired. The royal ship called Mar-
garet of Westminster was cleaned, painted, and newly fitted
up under the king's personal direction for the comfort of
his expected bride, and no trouble or expense was spared
that could add to her pleasure.

When everything was ready, Edward appointed his favor-
ite, Piers Gaveston, guardian of the country, and sailed, ac-
companied by Queen Marguerite, his stepmother, to meet
his bride. He landed at Boulogne, where Isabella and her
royal parents awaited him, and the next day the marriage
was celebrated at the famous cathedral of that town.

[A. D. 1308.] Four kings and four queens were present,
besides a larger number of princes and nobility than had
ever met together on such an occasion, and the church pre-
sented an appearance of unusual magnificence. The bride's
beauty excited the greatest admiration, and she was called
Isabella the Fair. Had any member of that royal assem-
bly been told that before the end of her life she would be
known as the " She-wolf of France," he would not have be-
lieved it ; appearances are often deceptive.

Festivities were kept up for nearly two weeks, then the
newly-wedded couple went to Dover, where they were met
by a large party of noble ladies and gentlemen who attended
them to Westminster.

Among those who met them on their arrival in England
was the Piers Gaveston whom Edward had left as guardian
during his absence. This man was the cause of a great

i5Ai;iiLi.A ui' iK.i:\^^.

1308. Isabella of France. 185

deal of trouble later because of his unbounded influence
over the king, who, the moment he caught sight of his
favorite, flew to him and threw his arms about his neck
calling him " brother."

Isabella's outfit was magnificent. She had two superb
solid gold crowns ornamented with precious stones, a large
number of gold and silver drinking vessels, golden spoons,
fifty silver soup-bowls, twelve large silver dishes, and twelve
smaller ones. Her dresses were made of gold and silver
stuff, velvet, and shot silk. Six of them were of the finest
imported green cloth, six were of mixed and figured mate-
rial, and six were -scarlet ; she had, besides, a supply of
costly furs, four hundred and nineteen yards of towels, and
six dozen nightcaps. She brought with her the tapestry
for her own chamber, on which were embroidered in gold
the arms of France, England, and Brabant.

Her father presented his son-in-law with a large number
of the costHest rings, jewels, and other precious articles
that could be found ; but Edward was foolish enough to
give all to Piers Gaveston, who had a perfect passion for
finery.

Such conduct on the part of her husband made Isabella
very angry, for she looked upon these handsome gifts from
her father as part of her dowry, and naturally she objected
very decidedly to having them handed over to a stranger
whom she had already begun to dislike.

Just a month after the marriage the day was appointed
for the coronation of the young king and queen, but the
nobles informed Edward that unless his haughty favorite
were banished from court they would not attend the cere-
mony. This threat signified that they meant -to refuse their
oath of allegiance, so Edward was very much alarmed, but
promised that at the parliament, which was to meet imme-
diately after the coronation, everything should be arranged

1 86 The Queens of England.

to their entire satisfaction. But he gave fresh cause for
complaint by bestowing upon Piers Gaveston the very high-
est office at the coronation, — that of bearing the St. Ed-
ward's crown. This made one of the royal earls so angry
that he would have killed the favorite on the spot had it
not been for the respect he felt for the young queen.

Gaveston had taken it upon himself to manage every-
thing ; and either his arrangements were badly made, or he
was so unpopular, that nobody would obey him, for there
was nothing but disorder and confusion from beginning to
end. The crowd was so great that several people were
injured, and one poor knight was knocked down and trod-
den to death. It was three o'clock in the afternoon before
the coronation was over, and since early morning those
engaged in the ceremonies had eaten nothing. The com-
pany were not seated at the banquet until after dark, and
then every dish was so poorly cooked and so badly served
that the hungry nobles were indignant, and felt that they
could sooner have forgiven the favorite for any offence than
this one. Isabella, too, was out of humor and exhausted ;
in short, all classes were dissatisfied, and many of the cus-
tomary ceremonies had to be omitted because the usual
masters of them were absent.

Whether by accident or design, several slights were put
upon the young queen that made her French followers so
angry that they went back home and complained ^o her
father. Besides, Isabella sent a letter filled with com-
plaints against her husband and his too-powerful favorite.
This made the King of France use all his influence to
strengthen the party of French barons who despised Gaves-
ton, and even to induce the English ones to oppose him,
too.

Probably, if the queen had been older, her beauty and
talents might have enabled her to gain such control over

i3o8- Isabella of France. 187

her husband that his favorite's presence would have had
less effect ; but she was so young and inexperienced that,
although she felt the importance of her position in the
English court, Edward treated her like a child, and this
vexed her beyond everything.

Gaveston was just the sort of a person who could, if he
chose, lead so weak a young man as Edward II., and, un-
fortunately, he did so choose. He was very handsome, a
perfect Adonis, remarkable for his courteous manners,
courage, and sparkling wit. He would mimic and make
fun of the peculiarities of the English nobles for the amuse-
ment of the thoughtless king, which was, of course, most
displeasing to them, and he even went so far as to ridicule
the queen. She complained to her father, who secretly
induced the barons to insist upon the banishment of the
favorite. Edward was at last compelled to yield, and
promised to send him beyond the seas, but the wily Gaves-
ton had recently strengthened his position by marrying a
niece of the king, so he had himself appointed Governor
of Ireland. Even his worst enemies own that he ruled that
country very well.

But the following year he came back to England to
attend a tournament. He brought such a magnificent
retinue, and made so great a display, that the barons were
jealous, and hated him worse than ever. Little did their
dislike or their displeasure affect him, for he took his
revenge by ridiculing them anew, and calling them most
provoking names. The Earl of Pembroke was dark, thin,
and sallow-complexioned, so he named him "Joseph the
Jew ; " the Earl of Warwick, who foamed at the mouth
when in a passion, was " the Wild Boar of Ardenne ; " and
the Earl of Lancaster, who dressed peculiarly, was styled
"the. Stage Player." Thus he made fun of the entire
party. But the insults were treasured up against him;

1 88 The Queens of England.

and when, some years later, his day of reckoning dawned,
not much mercy was shown him.

In the meantime he had stirred up such a storm that his
royal master's throne tottered under him. The queen and
her uncle, the Earl of Lancaster, with all the barons,
formed a combination against him so strong that Edward
dared not oppose it, and dismissed him to Guienne, At
parting with his favorite, he lavished on him all his jewels,
even the rings, brooches, and buckles that his young wife
had presented him with at various times. This was one of
the most foolish things Edward ever did, and nobody can
blame Isabella for feeling offended.

However, she was at that time much beloved by her
subjects, and, with Gaveston out of the way, we hear no
more complaints until the year 13 12, when, to her great
displeasure, he turned up again. This time, with his usual
lack of judgment, the king had recalled him, and made him
his principal secretary of state. This was a very high
office, for he had all the affairs of the country under his
control, and so determined was he to keep Edward under
his thumb that nobody could speak to him excepting
through the secretary.

This arrangement gave great offence, and when the
young queen saw how the royal favorite was injuring her
husband by making the nation dislike him, and, what was
still worse, by leading him into dissipation and other acts
of folly, she angrily remonstrated with him. He forgot the
respect due to her rank, and answered with contempt,
whereupon she complained to the king. But instead of
upholding his wife and punishing his insolent favorite,
Edward treated the matter with the utmost indifference.
Isabella was furious, and wrote to her father, the King of
France, a letter filled with bitter complaints of her hus-
band's coldness and neglect, saying, "that she was the

13 1 2. Isabella of France, 189

most wretched of wives, and that Gaveston was the cause
of all her troubles."

In reply, Philip secretly urged the peers to rebel, which
they did at last, headed by the Earl of Lancaster, and
determined to compel Edward to dismiss his hated secre-
tary of state. Then began a civil war, the most horrible
disaster that can overtake any country. Edward, evidently
considering discretion the better part of valor, ran away
with his wife and his favorite. They got as far as York,
but the victorious barons entered that place in triumph,
and the two fugitives sailed for Scarborough, leaving the
poor young queen alone, although she entreated her hus-
band with tears in her eyes to take her along.

Finding herself forsaken, Isabella retired to a remote
castle, where she passed her time in visiting the sick and
poor, which the following notes, found in the royal house-
hold book, prove : —

[A.D. 1312.] "October 9. To little Thomeline, the Scotch
orphan boy, to whom the queen, being moved to charity by his
miseries, gave food and raiment to the amount of six and six-
pence."

And again :

" To the same orphan, on his being sent to London to dwell
with Agnes, the wife of Jean, the queen's French organist; for
his education, for necessaries bought him, and for curing his
maladies, fifty-two shillings and eightpence."

While at this castle the queen received a message from
her uncle Lancaster assuring her of her safety, and telling
her that they were only fighting to get hold of Gaveston.

The king, in the meantime, having left his favorite in the
strong fortress of Scarborough, proceeded to the midland
counties to raise forces for his defence. ' But the men of
England were so indignant at the treatment their young

190

The Queens of England

queen had received at the hands of her husband and his
unworthy guide, that instead of obeying the orders they
received, they rose en masse to storm Gaveston in his
sheher. Being destitute of provisions, and knowing that
he could not withstand a siege, he surrendered on condi-

RETAINER'S HALL.

tion that he was to be safely conducted to the king and
allowed to speak with him freely before his trial.

The barons, after solemnly swearing to observe this
treaty, lost no time in bringing their prisoner to a sham
trial. No mercy tempered their judgment of a man who
had ridiculed and defied them, so they beheaded him then
and there. Afterwards they enjoyed the extreme satisfac-
tion of ransacking the luckless favorite's baggage, and

1312. Isabella of France. 19 1

found many of the crown jewels, a number of precious
ornaments that had been presented to the king, and several
articles of gold and silver plate from the royal house-
hold.

When Edward heard of the murder of his friend, he was
beside himself with rage and grief, and swore vengeance
on the heads of those who had committed the deed. He
then joined the queen and went with her to Windsor, where
their first child, afterwards Edward III., was born.

He was a fine healthy baby, and his parents, as well as
the English nation, and the French nobles who were in the
country were all delighted at this happy event. Four days
after his birth the little fellow was baptized with great
pomp, having no less than seven godfathers.

After this period, Isabella's influence over her husband
was so strengthened that she brought about a reconciliation
between him and his barons, and there was peace in the
realm once more. Then the king and queen made a
pleasure trip to Paris, where they spent two months en-
joying the feasts and amusements which the magnificent
and wealthy court of Philip provided for their entertain-
ment.

At last, through the entreaties of the queen, the pardon
to all those who had assisted in causing the death of
Gaveston was published, and her excellent influence was
felt in many ways.

During the next ^ew years another prince and a princess
were born, and on each occasion presents of great value
were distributed by the royal pair.

In the household book there is mention of the king's
gift of ;^333, " to Isabella, Queen of England, for the bap-
tismal feast after the birth of the Lady Eleanora." There
are also these entries, showing something of the fashions
of the time : —

192 The Queens of England.

"To Vanne Ballard, for pieces of silk and gold tissue of fus-
tian and of flame-colored silk for the making of cushions for the
charrettes (carriages) of the queen and her ladies."

" To Robert le Termor, the bootmaker of Fleet Street, for six
pairs of boots with tassels of silk and drops of silver gilt, price of
each pair five shillings, bought for the king's use."

When the royal couple kept Twelfth Night their presents
were very generous. To one of their subjects they gave a
silver gilt pitcher with stand and cover; to another, for
presenting bunches of new grapes, ioj. ; to another, for
bringing a box of rose-colored sugar, £2 \os.\ to the
mother of the king's fool, ioj., besides many others. To
the Lady Mary, the king's sister, who was a nun, fifteen
pieces of tapestry with coats-of-arms embroidered thereon,
besides £2^ on her departure from court, and to three of
his knights for dragging him out of bed on Easter morning
Edward paid ;^2o.

[A.D. 13 1 7.] During this fourteenth century there was
the most dreadful famine ever known in England, which
lasted nearly three years. On one occasion, when the king
and queen were dining in public in the great hall of the
palace at Westminster, a woman, wearing a mask, entered
on horseback, rode straight up to the royal table, and
handed a letter to the king. Thinking that it probably
contained some agreeable flatter)', he ordered it to be read
aloud. But, to his great mortification, it took him severely
to task for his unkingly fancies, and blamed his bad gov-
ernment for all the calamities that had befallen the country.
The woman was immediately arrested, and confessed that
she had been employed by a certain knight. The person
she named boldly acknowledged that he had written the
letter, supposing that it would be read in private, and that
the king would thus be informed of the complaints of his
subjects.

I32I.

Isabella of France.

193

[A.D. 1321.]
It was about
four years after
this event that
the queen first
met Roger
Mortimer, the
man who exer-
cised such an
influence over
her life. By
this time the
king had two
new favorites
named De-
spencer. They
were father
and son, and
both were bit-
ter enemies to
Roger Morti-
mer.

The circum-
stances of Isa-
bella's life so
began to shape
themselves at
this period that
from being a
lovely, amiable
peace - maker,
she became a
bad, cruel, dis-
honored trai-
tor.

194 The Qtieens of England.

In 132 1 she set out on a pilgrimage to the tomb of St.
Thomas k Becket, proposing to spend the night at Leeds
Castle, which was her own property. Baron Badlesmere
had charge of this castle, and lived there with his wife, so
Isabella sent a marshal in advance to have everything put
in order for her reception, not imagining for a moment
that any objection could possibly be raised to her stopping
there. But the baron was absent from home, and had
charged his wife to protect the castle from any intruders
whatsoever. Not knowing what might be the real object
of the queen's visit. Lady Badlesmere did just the wrong
thing when the royal messengers arrived, treated them with
insolence, and said, " that the queen might seek some other
lodging, for she would admit nobody within the castle with-
out an order from her lord."

The messenger w^as still arguing the case with the lady
when Isabella arrived at the castle gates with her train.
A volley of arrows greeted the party, and killed six of the
royal escort. The queen was obliged to seek other shelter
for the night, but she was excessively angrj', and com-
plained bitterly to the king of the treatment she had
received, begging him to avenge the insolence of Lady
Badlesmere for daring to exclude her from her own castle.
Badlesmere himself was foolish enough to send a most
insulting letter to the queen in reply to the complaints that
had been addressed to him concerning his wife's conduct,
declaring that he heartily approved of what she had done.
As this baron had held the high position of steward of the
royal household before he was placed in charge of Leeds
Castle, it is probable that the queen had done something
to make him her enemy. Neither her Uncle Lancaster nor
any of his associates seemed inclined to side with Isabella,
so she determined to be revenged on them all, and would
not rest until her husband promised to besiege the castle.

1321.

Isabella of France.

'M

A large force was soon gathered together before the walls,
but Lady Badlesmere felt certain that, with the stock of
provisions she had laid in, she could resist any attack,
besides she expected all the barons to side with her. But

UNDER THE TOWER.

she soon found out her mistake, and in a few days the
Castle of Leeds was obliged to surrender, and eleven of its
defenders, including Badlesmere, were hanged just outside
the gate. Lady Badlesmere was sent to the Tower of
London as a state prisoner.

\g6 The Queens of England.

Isabella now did all in her power to influence the king
against the barons, instead of working to restore peace, as
she once did. So he fought against them in person, and
Lancaster was seized in the battle. He was sentenced by
the king with the least possible delay, and beheaded a few
hours later. The queen knew nothing about her uncle's
sentence until too late, otherwise, it is to be hoped, she
would have endeavored to save him. She was living in
the Tower at the time, and it was there that her youngest
child, the Lady Joanna, was born.

Roger Mortimer had been captured while fighting against
the king, and imprisoned in the Tower under sentence of
death ; but he managed in some unaccountable manner to
see Isabella, and get her interested in him. Her influence
was all-powerful at that period, so, to the astonishment of
everybody, she made Edward change Mortimer's sentence
of death to imprisonment for life, though he had really
commenced the civil war by a fierce attack on the lands of
the Despencers. These men now hated the queen more
than ever for assisting their enemy.

The following year Mortimer planned his escape from
the Tower with the assistance of the constable and others.
The queen herself provided a drink for the guard that put
them into a heavy sleep. Then the prisoner, who had
worked a hole from his dungeon into the kitchen of the
royal apartments, climbed up the chimney and got out on
the roof, along which he stealthily crawled to the Thames
side, and descended by a rope ladder. The constable
awaited him in a little boat, and rowed him across the
river, where seven of his friends met him on horseback.
With this guard he went to the coast of Hampshire, and
pretended to sail to the Isle of Wight ; but, instead of that,
the fugitive got on board a large ship that had been en-
gaged for him, and was soon landed in Normandy. Thence

1325- Isabella of France. \<yj

he went to Paris. When the king heard of the escape a
great hue and cry was raised for Mortimer, dead or alive,
but his whereabouts were not suspected, and he remained
safely hidden in France.

The Despencers now began to influence the king as
powerfully as Gaveston had done, and the queen com-
menced her plans for their destruction. She declared that
they were the cause of all the recent bloodshed, and pre-
tended that her Uncle Lancaster was a saint and a martyr,
who only met his death by the advice of these favorites.

They had really committed one fault for which Isabella
could not forgive them ; they had caused her allowance to
bt curtailed, and no one ever offended her without paying
dearly for it.

She had ceased to be lovable to the king, and so had
lost her hold on him ; but for this also she blamed the
Despencers. Then she was deprived, by their advice, of
her French servants and of all her possessions in England.
She and her husband quarrelled to such an extent that at
last they refused to see each other at all.

But Isabella was not meek enough to stand ill-treatment,
so she complained to her brother, King Charles, who had
succeeded to the throne of France. He wrote a very
indignant letter to Edward, declaring his intention of seiz-
ing all the provinces of the French crown held by England.
But Edward was not prepared for war, and neither he nor
his ministers dared to go to France to face the angry
brother of Isabella.

[A.D. 1325.] In this dilemma the queen volunteered
her services as peace-maker, providing she might be
allowed to go to Paris herself. Edward was only too
happy to have the matter so easily settled, and the De-
spencers were delighted at the thought of getting rid of
her. Isabella had a little plan of her own which she

198 The Queens of England.

intended to carry out. The first step was a treaty of
peace, which she arranged on her arrival in France, be-
tween her brother and the King of England. She was not
at all surprised when the Despencers, who feared her influ-
ence over the weak mind of Edward, had dissuaded him
from crossing the channel with her, even after his arrange-
ments had been made. In fact, this was exactly what she
had desired, because it enabled her to propose that her
son, the Prince of Wales, should be invested with certain
powers which she named, and sent in his father's stead.
Both the king and the Despencers fell into the snare, and
Isabella got the heir to the throne of England into her own
hands.

As soon as Isabella found herself safe in France with
her son, she laughed in her sleeve at the way she had
hoodwinked her husband and his despised favorites. She
was just where she wanted to be, and had no intention of
returning to England until affairs there had changed to her
complete satisfaction. She and her brother. King Charles,
had concocted a treaty, it is true, but it was so written as
to be almost incomprehensible, and to leave much matter
for dispute between the two sovereigns.

Isabella made all sorts of frivolous excuses for prolong-
ing her stay in Paris, where she was joined by her favorite
Mortimer and all the banished English lords. Although
these people were open enemies of her husband and his
government, the wicked queen held councils and meetings
with them, while she refused to have anything to do with
the commissioners Edward had appointed.

The Bishop of Exeter, horrified at her disgraceful be-
havior, went over to England to inform the king of it, and
to advise him to command her immediate return with the
Prince of Wales.

Edward wrote several letters to his wife on this subject,

1325- Isabella of France. 199

but she paid no attention either to his entreaties or his
orders. She declared openly "that it was the intention of
the Despencers to cause her to be put to death if she
returned to England." She knew better, but this state-
ment aided her schemes, and she even succeeded in de-
ceiving her brother, King Charles of France, who wrote
King Edward " that he could not permit her to return to
him unless she were guaranteed from the evil that was
meditated against her by her. enemies, the Despencers."

Edward's reply to this letter was manly and dignified.
He begged his brother-in-law not to credit anything so
false, but to send back his wife, of whom he wrote in kind,
affectionate terms.

Isabella refused to go, and used her vile influence to
encourage her son's disobedience in this matter also. Ed-
ward II. was very much hurt, and wrote frequently to his
wife, reminding her of her duty, and taking her severely to
task for her disloyal conduct.

It seems that during this time Isabella was treacherous
enough to write most friendly letters to Hugh Despencer,
even though •he had openly pronounced him her enemy.

What offended King Edward most of all was that his
son, whom he loved dearly, was not only kept away from
him, but that he constantly associated with his mother's
friend and adviser, Mortimer, who had proved himself a
shameless, worthless traitor. Besides, Isabella had con-
tracted a marriage between her son and a daughter of
Count Hainault without the slightest mention of the matter
to her husband, and had even gone so far as to receive the
bride's marriage dowry, which was paid in advance, and
used it for her own private expenses.

Edward's touching appeals took effect at last on the
heart of King Charles, who began to treat his sister coolly
and to urge her return to England. But she had gone too

200 The Queens of EnglaJid.

far to stop now, and her influence over her son was so
great that she made him believe her life was in danger
both at the hands of his father and the Despencers. The
young man naturally felt that he must stay by his perse-
cuted mother, and, if necessary, defend her.

Edward then applied to the Pope, who threatened to
excommunicate King Charles if he did not immediately
dismiss Isabella and her son from his dominions. The
King of France was much alarmed at this threat, and did
not hesitate to act upon it at once, particularly as he was
so displeased with his sister that he had not spoken to her
for a long time. He swore *' that whoever should speak in
behalf of his sister, the Queen of England, should forfeit
his lands and be banished the realm."

Isabella had a cousin named Robert d'Artois, who was
warmly attached to her. One night he woke her up to
inform her of a conspiracy that he had just discovered to
deliver her, the prince, the Earl of Kent, her husband's
brother, and Mortimer over to King Edward.

The queen was so alarmed that she did not know which
way to turn. Robert advised her to go to (Jermany, and
place herself under the protection of William, Earl of
Hainault, whose wife was her cousin. This plan struck
her favorably, and the next night she left Paris with Mor-
timer, her son, and the Earl of Kent,^ who always sided
with her against his brother. King Edward.

After some days they got into the country of Cambray,
and lodged at the house of a poor knight, who received the
party with great pleasure, and entertained them in the best
possible manner. The Earl of Hainault was a good, kind-
hearted man, and felt very sorry when he thought of the
queen's being obliged to seek refuge in a foreign country,
so he sent his young brother. Sir John, with a few other
gentlemen, to pay his respects to Isabella and conduct

CITY HALL, VALENCIENNES.

1325 Isabella of France. 203

her to Valenciennes, where he was then living with his
family.

Sir John, being filled with the spirit of a true knight-
errant, burst into tears when he heard Isabella's sad com-
plaints from her own lips. " Lady," he said, " see here
your knight who will not fail to die for you, though every
one else should forsake you ; therefore I will do everything
in my power to conduct you safely to England with your
son, and to restore you to your rank with the assistance of
your friends in those parts ; and I, and all those whom I
can influence, will risk our lives on the adventure for your
sake ; and we shall have a sufficient armed force, if it
please God, without fearing any danger from the King of
France."

The queen would have thrown herself at his feet, but he
would not allow it, and said, as he caught her in his arms :
" God forbid that the Queen of England should do such a
thing ! Madam, be of good comfort to yourself and com-
pany, for I will keep my promise, and you shall come to
see my brother and the countess, his wife, and all their
fine children, who will be rejoiced to see you, for I have
heard them say so."

The queen answered : " Sir, I find in you more kindness
and comfort than in all the world besides ; and I give you
five hundred thousand thanks for all you have promised
with so much courtesy. I and my son shall be forever
bound unto you, and we will put the kingdom of England
under your management, as in justice it ought to be."

Then Isabella mounted her horse, and set off with her
train to follow Sir John to Valenciennes. Many of the
citizens of that town came forth to meet her, and she was
received very graciously by the Earl of Hainault and his
wife, who gave several feasts in her honor.

Isabella spent a week in this hospitable household,

204 The Queens of England.

during which Sir John's sympathies were so aroused in her
behalf that he obtained his brother's permission to accom-
pany her to England. In the meantime he had written to
certain knights in other parts of the country, beseeching
them to arm in the cause of the distressed Queen of Eng-
land. The expedition gathered at Dort, where the queen
and her suite met them. Here they all embarked, but the
fleet was tossed about by a tempest for several hours, and
some of the ships were knocked to pieces. At last the
queen was brought safely to shore near Harwich, and her
knights and attendants built her a tent of carpets, and kin-
dled a great fire of pieces of the wrecked vessels. Then
all the horses and arms were taken from the ships which,
the wind being favorable by that time, were sent around to
the opposite coast. At daybreak the queen marched with
her army to the next town, where she found the houses well
stocked with all sorts of provisions, though the people had
fled in terror, not knowing what to expect.

The advanced guard, meantime, marched through the
country, seizing all the cattle and food they could get hold
of, and spreading misery in every direction. When Isabella
came along the owners complained bitterly, but she paid
them most liberally for all they had lost. The money thus
distributed made the queen popular, and the people were
anxious to supply her with whatever she desired after that.

Although the king had forbidden his subjects to meet
Isabella, when she arrived at Harwich a large number of
knights, barons, and bishops were assembled to welcome
her. Her force numbered two thousand seven hundred
and fifty-seven soldiers, commanded by Sir John of Hai-
nault, and Roger Mortimer commanded the English, who
joined them after they landed.

So many false stories had been circulated by the queen's
agents of the persecutions she had endured from her hus-

»32S-

Isabella of France.

205

band and his barbarous ministers, and of the way she had
been driven into a foreign land by plots against her life,
that she was considered the most injured of wives and
queens. The common people were blinded by excitement,
and flocked to meet her without stopping to inquire whether
her cause were just or not. All the tales of her guilty con-

OLD FORT AT OXFORD.

duct that had reached them from time to time they now
believed to have been pure inventions of her enemies, the
Despencers. No voice was raised against her though she
came with her son, the Prince of Wales, attended by an
outlawed traitor and a band of foreigners to raise a revolt
against her own husband. It seems strange that such a
wicked woman should have met with such success; but

2o6 The Queens of England.

every Plantagenet in England was on her side, and she had
many French relations there who always had thought her
of more importance than the king.

Instead of taking measures to defend himself, Edward
wrote pathetic letters to the Pope and to the King of
France asking for aid, and issued a proclamation offering
;^i,ooo for the head of the arch traitor, Roger Mortimer.
The queen then offered a reward of double that sum for
the head of the younger Despencer, and declared that her
only motive in coming home was to deliver England from
the king's bad advisers.

When Isabella attended church at Oxford in company
with her son, Mortimer, and all her followers, the Bishop
of Hereford preached the sermon and explained the queen's
motive for taking up arms, concluding with this sentence :
" When the head of a kingdom becometh sick and diseased,
it must be taken off without useless attempts to administer
any other remedy." It is shocking to think of the wife and
son of a man so devoted to both, as King Edward certainly
was, listening to such a murderous speech without express-
ing their horror and indignation. But the only effect of it
was to increase the madness of the populace against the
unhappy king, who, attended by the two Despencers and a
few other friends, fled to Bristol, intending to seek refuge
in Ireland.

His departure was the signal for a general uprising of
the Londoners, who mobbed the Tower, and set all the
prisoners free in the queen's name. Then Isabella pursued
her husband with her army, which had largely increased^
and laid siege to Bristol. The king shut himself up with
the younger Despencer in the castle, much grieved to see
how all his subjects had turned against him. The older
Despencer was seized and brought before Isabella, who
declared " that she should see that law and justice were

1325- Isabella of France. 20>7

executed on him according to his deeds." " Ah, madam,"
he replied ; " God grant me an upright judge and a just
sentence ! and that if I cannot find it in this world, I may
find it in another."

The knight was ninety years of age when he made this
reply, but that was of no consequence to Isabella ; she had
him in her power at last, and was determined to punish
him. He was sentenced, and his execution took place
within sight of his son and the king, who were still shut up
in the castle. So alarmed were they at the old man's tragic
fate that they endeavored to escape to Wales in a little
boat. After tossing about for some days they were driven
back by contrary winds to within a mile of the castle they
had fled from. A knight, observing the efforts of the boat-
men, rowed out in his own barge with a strong force to see
what was the matter, and soon succeeded in capturing the
king and his favorite, both of whom were delivered over to
the queen as her prisoners.

Now Isabella's evil nature blazed out and showed her
real character. She started with all her army for London,
having caused Sir Hugh Despencer to be bound to the
smallest and meanest horse that could be found, and
dressed in his mantle of state, on which was embroidered
his coat-of-arms. Thus was he led in mockery through all
the towns they passed, his approach being announced by
trumpets and cymbals. When they reached Hereford the
royal party were received with great rejoicing, and stopped
there to celebrate the feast of All Saints.

The unfortunate Hugh Despencer, who had eaten not a
mouthful since the moment of his arrest, now became faint,
and Isabella feared that he might succumb before reaching
London. He was, therefore, brought to trial without fur-
ther delay, and most crtielly put to death.

Several other gentlemen who had in one way or another

208 The Queens of Eftgland.

offended either the queen or her friend, Mortimer, were
executed in the same place.

When the army, which had been increased to an enor-
mous size by volunteers by the way, arrived in London,
great crowds flocked to welcome them, presenting costly
gifts to Isabella and some of her followers.

On the 7th of January parliament met and decided to
remove their absent sovereign, proclaiming the Prince of
Wales King of England by the title of Edward III. When
this was made known to the queen she pretended to be
very much distressed, and actually forced herself to shed
tears, though it was precisely what she had worked for.
But she overacted her part, and her counterfeit tears so
deceived her son that he made a solemn vow not to accept
the crown unless his royal father should willingly resign it
to him.

This was awkward ; for how could a committee wait
upon the king to ask him to abdicate ? But young Edward
adhered to his resolution, and a dozen commissioners were
appointed by Isabella to demand of the fallen monarch his
crown, sceptre, and the rest of the regalia.

They proceeded to Kenilworth Castle, where Edward
was kept as a state prisoner, and in a cruel, heartless man-
ner pointed out to him the errors he had committed as
their reason for desiring him to resign his crown. Edward
listened to the mortifying recital and wept bitterly. At
length he replied, " that he knew he was punished for his
many sins, and was grieved for having incurred the hatred
of his people. He was glad his eldest son was so gracious
in their sight, and gave them thanks for choosing him to
be their king." Although the poor monarch had fainted
during this interview, he failed to arouse the sympathy of
the commissioners.

Edward II. was by no means a bad man, for his chief

1326. Isabella of France. 209

faults were those of judgment, and at times want of dig-
nity, which led him to engage in boyish frolics, and occa-
sionally to drink to excess.

[A.D. 1326.] On the following Christmas day, 1326,
young King Edward, who was just fifteen years of age,
was crowned in Westminster Abbey. Then twelve bishops
and nobles were appointed to advise and assist the youth-
ful sovereign in affairs of state. The queen offered no
objection, but as she had the military power in her own
hands she made Roger Mortimer her prime minister, and
demanded an enormous sum of money for her own use.
She sent presents and deceitful messages full of affection
to her husband, who in return wrote to request the favor
of being once more permitted to see her and his son. But
Isabella was never softened towards him, though she was,
to a great extent, the cause of his unfortunate situation.
She was so thoroughly hard-hearted that, when she heard
he was kindly treated at Kenilworth, she had him removed
from one place to another under the care of two brutal
fellows whose cruelties were too horrible to mention. One
night, just a year after the queen's return, Edward II. was
put to death by her order in Berkeley Castle, and buried
privately. Then the nation became indignant; many of
Isabella's friends deserted her when they found that they
had been the tools of an artful, ambitious, depraved
woman, and a strong party was organized to get rid of her.
She had committed more crimes in one year than the late
king and his ministers had done in twenty, though she pre-
tended to be a reformer.

She was a cruel hypocrite, planning, with the slyness of
a cat, the destruction of each member of the royal family.
Knowing that the Earl of Kent was most miserable on
account of the part he had taken in her proceedings, she
caused somebody to tell him that his brother was not dead.

2IO

TJie Queens of England.

but a prisoner at Corfe Castle. The earl employed a friar
to inquire whether this was true. He was assured that it
was, and had shown to him at a distance a person seated

EDWARD II. AND HIS JAILERS.

at a table so disguised as to resemble the dead king. The
earl then went to the castle and requested the governor to
conduct him to his brother's apartment. The governor did

TOMB OF EDWARD II., GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL.

1326. Isabella of France. 213

not deny that Edward was in the castle, but said that he
was not permitted to let any one see him, upon which the
earl wrote a letter to be conveyed to the supposed pris-
oner. This letter was immediately carried to the queen,
who used it as a pretence for the earl's arrest, and after an
absurd trial he was unjustly condemned to die. His
estates passed into the hands of Mortimer's son.

By this time Roger Mortimer had made himself so
offensive with his haughty display and his cruelty that the
king had him arrested and locked up in the Tower. A few
days later he was executed with several of his friends, and
his body hung on the gallows at Tyburn for two days.

Having thus rid himself of his worst enemy, Edward IH.
ordered his mother to live at Castle Rising, where, with
plenty of people to wait on her, and everything to make
her comfortable, she passed her time quietly, having no
chance to scheme or plot against the government.

There she remained for about twenty-seven years, receiv-
ing occasional visits from her son, who never permitted her
name to be mentioned in his presence, excepting with great
respect.

[A.D. 1358.] She died in 1358, and was buried by
Edward III. with much ceremony at Grey Friars' Church,
her body being attired in the uniform of that order of
nuns.

A fine alabaster tomb was erected to her memory, the
only inscription thereon being :

"ISABELLA REGINA."

CHAPTER XIII.

PHILIPPA OF HAINAULT, QUEEN OF EDWARD III.
(A.D. 13H-1369).

When Edward, Prince of Wales, was, with his mother,
compelled to seek refuge at the house of the Count of
Hainault (of which we have given an account in the story
of Isabella of France), he fell violently in love with the
count's second daughter, Philippa, and she returned his
affection. She was only fifteen years of age, and he a few
months older, but they formed an attachment that lasted
throughout their lives. Philippa was a brilliant Flemish
beauty, whose excellent heart and lovable disposition
endeared her to all who knew her. Later, as Queen of
England, she proved a blessing to that country by the
wisdom and good judgment she displayed in encouraging
manufactures and trade. But before she assumed that
position she was doomed to many months of anxiety and
uncertainty; for her young lover, after only a fortnight's
enjoyment of her society, departed on the dangerous expe-
dition of invading his father's kingdom. There was
considerable doubt as to whether he would ever return,
because not only were the affairs of his country in such
a condition that he could not foretell what turn they might
take, but the relatives of both the lovers might interpose
many objections to their union.

It was not the custom in those days for the heir of
England to acknowledge that he had made his choice of a
wife without first consulting his parliament and councillors,

214

riiiLIPPA OF HAl.NACi-i.

1327. Philippa of Hainault. 217

but young Edward imparted his secret to his mother, and,
as she had taken a great fancy to pretty Philippa, she
promised to aid him as best she could. Therefore as soon
as possible after her return home she led the public authori-
ties to decide that one of the four daughters of the Count
of Hainault would be the most desirable alliance for her
son, but without naming which one. However, we may be
very sure that the young man gave his own private instruc-
tions to his messengers, for they made no mistake in their
choice, nor is it likely that he would risk trusting entirely
to their discretion as to which of the young Hainault
ladies would prove most worthy to become Queen of
England.

The messengers applied first to Sir John, Philippa's
uncle, who had been in England fighting the cause of the
new king, and requested his assistance in the selection of
a wife for their young sovereign. Sir John received them
with all the honors he could lavish, and gave them the
most sumptuous feasts and splendid entertainments of all
sorts. After several days spent in this manner, he con-
ducted them to Valenciennes, where they were equally well
received at his brother's house. A special dispensation
was required from the Pope, because the two mothers of
the lovers were cousins ; so messengers were sent to obtain
it, which they did without much difficulty.

[A.D. 1327.] As soon as Edward heard that all neces-
sary arrangements had been completed, he ordered the
marriage ceremony to be performed at Valenciennes,
though as he was engaged in a war on the Scottish border
with the renowned Robert Bruce, he could not be present.
In the absence of the bridegroom, the wedding must have
been rather a tame affair, but there was no help for it, and
preparations were made for a grand display. The costume
and equipage of the bride were unusually costly and elegant,

21 8 The Queens of Engla7id.

no expense or pains being spared to render the lestival
worthy of the wealthy country in which it was given.

Afterwards Philippa, accompanied by her Uncle John
and a large retinue, proceeded to Dover, and then to
London, where a solemn procession of the clergy introduced
her into the city, and she was presented by the lord mayor
with a service of silver worth three hundred pounds as a
marriage gift. The city was illuminated, and there were
great rejoicings, feasts and public entertainments of all
sorts, that were kept up for three weeks after the bride's
arrival.

She did not stay long in London, however, but hurried
on to York to meet her husband, being received with
honors at every town through which she passed. All the
parliament and royal council assembled at the union of the
young king and his bride, as well as a hundred of the
principal nobility of Scotland, who came to conclude a
final peace with England.

Nothing is said about the bride's marriage dowry, because
the queen-mother had already got possession of it and
spent it. She had besides so managed to get hold of the
public funds that the young sovereign of England was
nearly penniless. The following summer was passed by
the new couple at Woodstock, the beautiful country residence
which was the favorite home of Philippa so long as Isabella,
the queen-mother, and Mortimer ruled the kingdom.

Sir John of Hainault returned to his native land laden with
jewels and rich presents, almost all of his countrymen accom-
panying him. Among the few who remained behind was a
youth named Sir Walter Mauny, whose office was to carve
for Philippa. He became one of the first Knights of the
Garter, an order established by Edward IIL, of which we
shall hear later.

[A.D. 1330.] The coronation of the young queen did

I330.

Philippa of Hainault.

219

not take place for nearly two years after her marriage.
All the customary duties were performed on that occasion,
but the ceremony was remarkable for the absence of dis-
play on account of the emptiness of the treasury.

The queen-mother, with her favorite, Mortimer, had used
up all the public funds for their own support, but young
Edward was not going to stand such a state of aifairs much

longer, and before the close of the year he had liberated
himself from his wicked mother's control and executed her
favorite.

With the reins of government in his own hands, the
young king, aided by his good and sensible wife, set to
work to reform the abuses of his mother's reign and to
establish most excellent and satisfactory laws.

Edward had a very violent temper, which would have led
him to commit many an act of cruelty and injustice had it
not been for the influence of his kind-hearted, virtuous
wife.

220 The Queens of England.

[A.D, 1330.] Her eldest son, Edward, sumamed the
Black Prince on account of the color of the armor he wore
in battle, was born while she was living at Woodstock, and
in celebration of that event a grand tournament was
arranged to take place in London. Philippa, with all the
noble ladies, was invited to attend. The preparations
were on a much grander scale than usual, thirteen knights
being engaged on either side. The arena was covered
with sand to prevent the horses' feet from slipping ; flags
and banners were ingeniously arranged as decorations, and
a temporary platform was erected and ornamented for the
accommodation of the queen and her ladies. No sooner
were they all seated than the scaffolding gave way, and
they tumbled pell-mell to the ground. Fortunately the
platform was not high, and nobody was hurt, but the ladies
were terribly frightened, and, for a few moments, the con-
fusion and excitement were very great.

The king flew into a perfect fury and vowed that the
careless carpenters should instantly be put to death. This
was rather a severe sentence, particularly as the damage
was slight, and so Philippa considered it, for scarcely had
she recovered from her fright than she threw herself on her
knees before her angry husband, and pleaded with angelic
sweetness for the pardon of the poor men. Edward soon
became calm under the influence of her gentle voice and
words, and forgave the offenders.

Up to this time all the wool grown in England had been
sent to the Netherlands to be manufactured into cloth, and
Philippa remembered what a source of profit and occupa-
tion it had been for her own country. She therefore set to
work to establish a manufacturing colony at Norwich, and a
letter was sent to John Kemp of Flanders, cloth-weaver,
in which he is informed, " that if he will come to England
with the servants and apprentices of his mystery, and with

1335- Philippa of Hainaidt, 221

his goods and chattels, and with any dyers who may be will-
ing to accompany him beyond the seas, and exercise their
mysteries in the kingdom of England, they shall have letters
of protection and assistance in their settlement."

[A.D. 1335.] He came, and was the patriarch of the
Norwich woollen manufactories. Philippa often visited the
colony, which soon brought considerable wealth into the
country, encouraging the work by her patronage, and, like
a beneficent queen of the hive cherishing and protecting
the working bees, she made a law that no woollen clothes
should be worn except those made in England. Besides
the occupation which she thus provided for hundreds of her
subjects, this young queen displayed unusual foresight for
a woman of her age in the tournament exhibitions she held
at Norwich, by which she gave the citizens assurance of
gallant protection on the part of the nobility in case of
need. These festivities brought together the workers and
the defenders of the nation, and Queen Philippa set them
the example of mutual respect. Edward III. did not often
accompany his wife on her visits to Norwich, but usually
passed the time of her absence with his unhappy mother
at Castle Rising.

In 1333 Edward again commenced a furious war on Scot-
land. His faithful Philippa went with him as far as she
could, and while he laid siege to Berwick took up her resi-
dence at Bamborough Castle. It was during this siege
that the king committed a deed so atrocious that it must
forever be a dark stain upon his character. Douglas, the
defender of Scotland, left King Edward before Berwick
and made a forced march to the castle that contained Queen
Philippa, hoping to frighten the king and to force him to
fly to her assistance. But he was mistaken, for Edward
had too much confidence in the strength of the castle and
the firmness of his wife to budge. It is probable tliough

222 The Queens of England.

that this attempt to capture Philippa aggravated his fero-
cious temper and prompted him to the cruel deed to which
we have referred. The two young Seatons, sons of the
Governor of Berwick, had been taken as prisoners, and the
king had them put to death because the father refused to
surrender the town. His object was to take Berwick by a
desperate blow and fly to the relief of his queen, and he
succeeded, for the poor grief-stricken father of the Seatons
was so perfectly stunned by the infamous murder of his
boys, that he could offer no further resistance. Douglas
and Edward fought not far from Berwick, where the former
was killed and the king entered the town in triumph with
Philippa at his side.

During the queen's residence in the north of England
quite an amusing circumstance occurred. King Edward
had returned from Scotland, and his wife, who had been
separated from him for a long time, went as far as Dur-
ham to welcome him back. He lodged at St. Cuthbert's
Priory near the castle. After supper the queen entered
her husband's apartments, where, feeling fatigued from her
journey, she hoped to have a good night's rest. Scarcely
had she undressed than there came a loud knocking at her
door. Upon opening it several monks presented themselves
with a pathetic appeal to her not to offend their holy pa-
tron St. Cuthbert, who during his life avoided the fair sex
and would be dreadfully angry if one of them, no matter
how high her rank, should sleep beneath the roof of his
convent. The pious Philippa was distressed at the idea
of having unintentionally displeased the saint, and fled in
her night-clothes to the castle, which was fortunately not far
away.

[A.D. 1336.] About this time Count William of Hai-
nault died of gout, and Edward thus lost the liberal supplies
that he had always counted on from that source. The Eng-

1336- Philippa of Hainault. 223

lish people of that period chose always to be at war ; but
expected their monarchs to pay the costs. Edward was
reduced to such extreme poverty that he was forced to pledge
his wife's crown for twenty-five hundred pounds, at the
beginning of his long war, and during his whole reign the
crown jewels were seldom out of pawn. He had been
engaged in a naval battle with France since his victories in
Scotland, and in 1340 found himself bankrupt. By that
time Philippa had several children, and was residing in the
Tower, where she devoted herself to their education with
her usual good sense.

Now we must see how Edward was led to establish the
Order of the Garter. Wark Castle was under the guardian-
ship of the Earl of Salisbury, who, while King Edward was
encamped near Berwick, was taken prisoner. The Countess
of Salisbury was then left alone at the castle with her young
nephew, and it was besieged by the King of Scotland.
Becoming alarmed at the approach of danger she sent the
youth to seek assistance of Edward who immediately replied
in person. At his appearance the siege was raised, and the
countess, to prove her gratitude, ordered the gates to be
thrown open, and received the king with great honors. She
courtesied low, thanked her preserver warmly for his prompt
aid, and conducted him into the castle, where he and all
his knights and attendants were entertained sumptuously.
Everybody was struck with the countess' noble deportment
and affable behavior, and the king was charmed with her
grace and beauty.

While he was dancing with her after the banquet she gave
in his honor she unfortunately dropped her garter, and was
overcome with confusion, but Edward with his usual
gallantry picked it up and, holding it aloft, said : " Honi
soit qui fnal y pense,''^ "evil to him who evil thinks." In
commemoration of this event, and out of compliment to the

224 ^^^ Queens of England.

countess, he established an order called the Knights of the
Garter. The queen attended the first meeting of this order
at Windsor, on which. occasion all the knights were accom-
panied by their ladies, who wore the badge with the motto
the king had proposed as a bracelet on their left arm. The
object of this order of knighthood was to assist distre::sed
ladies, and after it was well established the king announced
his intention of going to the aid of the Countess de
Montfort, who was trying to uphold the cause of her infant
son against the whole power of France, while her husband
was a prisoner in the tower of the Louvre. He appointed
Philippa regent, with the Earl of Kent as her assistant, and
departed for France with his son Edward, then only sixteen
years of age. At the battle of Cressy, which had occurred
during the siege of Calais, this boy proved himself a true
hero.

During the king's absence, David of Scotland advanced
into England and set fire to the suburbs of York. Philippa
hastened in person to the relief of her northern subjects,
and took up her residence at Newcastle. On the following
day the King of Scots, with forty thousand men, halted
within three miles of the town, and sent word to the
queen that if her men were willing he would wait and give
them battle. She replied : " that her barons would risk
their lives for the realm of their lord, the king."

When her army drew up in order of battle she rode
among them mounted on her white charger, entreating the
men " to fight manfully for the love of God." They
promised to do the utmost in their power, and the queen
withdrew after commending them "to the protection of
Grod and St. George."

Philippa had the moral courage becoming in a woman,
and as soon as she had done all that a great queen could
do for the encouragement of her army, she left the battle-

1336- Philippa of Hainault. 225

field, which was no place for her, and retired to pray foi
her invaded kingdom.

Her army gained the victory, and King David was
taken prisoner by a squire named John Copeland, who rode
off with him and refused to give him up. This displeased
Philippa, who the next day wrote to the squire commanding
him to surrender the King of Scots to her forthwith. He
replied, " that he would not give up his royal prisoner to
a woman but only to his own lord. King Edward, for to him
he had sworn allegiance and not to any woman."

The queen was troubled at this obstinacy, and wrote all
about it to the king, who ordered John Copeland to come
to him at Calais immediately. When Edward saw the
squire he took him by the hand, saying : " Ha ! welcome
my squire, who by thy valor hast captured mine adversary,
the King of Scots."

John Copeland fell on one knee and replied: "If God
out of his great goodness has given me the King of Scotland,
and permitted me to conquer him in arms, no one ought
to be jealous of it, for God can, if He please, send His
grace to a poor squire as well as to a great lord. Sire, do
not take it amiss if I did not surrender King David to the
orders of my lady queen, for I hold my lands of you and
not of her, and my oath is to you and not her, unless indeed
through choice."

The king thanked him warmly for his valor, and ordered
him to go home and hand his prisoner, the King of Scotland,
over to Philippa, adding, " and I assign lands as near your
house as you can choose them to the amount of five
hundred pounds a year for you and your heirs." The squire
obeyed, and the excuses he made were so acceptable to the
queen that she bore him no ill-will. She ordered King
David to be conducted in grand procession through the
streets mounted on a tall black war-horse, so that every one

226 The Queens of Engla7td.

might know him and recognize him in case he attempted to
escape, and then to be locked up in the Tower of London.
Next day, accompanied by a large number of her ladies, she
sailed for Calais, where Edward gave a magnificent fite to
welcome his victorious queen.

Meantime the defenders of Calais were so much reduced
by famine that they offered to surrender. At first Edward
resolved to kill them every one, but in compliance with the
request of Sir Walter Mauny, one of the Knights of the Gar-
ter, who begged him to be merciful, he softened somewhat,
and sent this message : " Tell the Governor of Calais that
the garrison and inhabitants shall be pardoned excepting six
of the principal citizens, who must surrender themselves to
death with ropes round their necks, bareheaded and bare-
footed, bringing the keys of the town and castle in their
hands."

Sir Walter carried the cruel verdict to the governor.
He wept bitterly ; he was compelled, however, to break the
dreadful news to the inhabitants, who at the loud peals of
the alarm-bell assembled in the town-hall. When they
heard the king's message, they broke into loud lamentations
of grief and despair. The hardest heart could not have
failed to be touched by such a scene. Men stared at each
other, scarcely knowing what to say or do. After a pause,
Eustace St. Pierre, the most wealthy citizen of Calais, arose
and offered himself as one of the six to make the horrible
sacrifice for his fellow-townsmen. Five others followed
this noble example amid the blessings and thanks of the
assembly, and the number was completed. Mounted on a
horse, the governor slowly and solemnly conducted them
to the barriers, where Sir Walter Mauny awaited them, and
said : " I deliver up to you, as Governor of Calais, these six
citizens, and swear to you they are the most wealthy and
respectable men of the town. I beg of you, gentle sir, that

PHILIPPA ON HER KNEtS BEFORE THE KING.

134^' Philippa of Hainatdt. 229

you would beseech the king that they may not be put to
death."

" I cannot answer what the king will do with them,"
replied Sir Walter ; " but you may depend upon this, that
I will do all I can to save them."

All the English nobles wept at the sight of these six gen-
tlemen as they knelt before the king and begged for com-
passion, but Edward eyed them angrily and ordered their
heads to be struck off forthwith. Some of the knights
entreated the king to be more merciful, but he would not
listen to them, and sternly repeated his order.

At that moment Philippa appeared. Falling on her knees
at her husband's feet, she looked up into his face with tears -»
in her eyes, and said : " Ah, gentle sir, since I crossed
the sea with great peril to see you I have never asked you
one favor ; now I most humbly ask as a gift, for the sake
of the son of the blessed Mary, and as a proof of your love
to me, the lives of these six men."

King Edward looked at her for some time in silence, then
replied : " Ah, lady, I wish you had been anywhere else
than here ; you have entreated in such a manner I cannot
refuse you. I therefore give them to you — do as you please
with them."

Philippa then conducted the poor men to her own apart-
ments, where their halters were removed from their necks
and they were served with an excellent dinner. Afterwards
she saw that they were conducted out of the camp in
safety. The king entered Calais and took possession of
the castle, where proper lodgings had been prepared for him-
self and his queen.

[A.D. 1348.] After their return to England, in 1348, an
awful epidemic, called the " black death," visited the king-
dom and carried off the king and queen's second daughter,
Johanna, a princess only fifteen years old, but blessed with

230 The Queens of England.

so many charms that a number of minstrels had chosen her
for the subject of their verses. What made the event more
than ordinarily sad was, that she was engaged to be married,
and her funeral procession occurred at the ver}- time that
had been fixed for the wedding ceremony. This was a
great sorrow to the royal couple. So dreadful was the pes-
tilence that every household in London was afflicted by it,
and in some families all the members died.

Before this horrible visitation Philippa had turned her
attention to the working of the coal mines in England, which,
like the cloth manufacture, proved an industry of immense
profit to the nation, besides enriching many private individ-
uals. Wherever this great queen turned her patronage,
prosperity was sure to follow, and her subjects loved and
trusted her.

[A.D. 1357.] In 1357 the English gained a grand vic-
tory at Poictiers, and the Black Prince returned with many
prisoners. Among them was one Bertrand Du Guesclin.
One day when Queen Philippa was entertaining at her
court a number of the noble French prisoners, the Prince
of Wales proposed that Du Guesclin should name his own
ransom, adding that whatever sum he mentioned should set
him free. The warrior named a hundred thousand crowns.
The Prince of Wales was astonished at such a sum, and
asked how he could raise it. " I know a hundred knights,"
replied Du Guesclin, " in my native Bretagne, who would
mortgage their last acre rather than have me languish in
captivity or be rated below my value. Yea, and there is
not a woman in France now toiling with her distaff who
would not devote a year's earnings to liberate me, for well
have I deserved of their sex. And if all the fair spinners
of France employ their hands to redeem me, think you,
prince, that I shall abide much longer with you ? "

Queen Philippa, who had listened to this conversation

TOMB OF EDWARU III., WESTMINSTER.

1369- Philippa of Hainault. 233

with great attention, now spoke : " I name," she said, " fifty
thousand crowns, my son, as my contribution towards your
gallant prisoner's ransom ; for though an enemy to my hus-
band, a knight who is famed for the courteous protection
he has afforded to my sex deserves the assistance of every
woman." Du Guesclin threw himself at the feet of the
generous queen, saying : " Ah, lady, being the ugliest knight
in France, I never reckoned on any goodness from your sex
excepting those whom I protected with my sword, but your
bounty will make me think less despicably of myself."
Philippa, like all great women, honored those men who paid
most reverence to her own sex.

After a lingering illness, she sent for the king one day
when she knew that death was approaching. Taking his
hand in her own, she asked him to grant her three requests.
He promised in advance with tears rolling down his cheeks.
" My lord," she said, " I beg you will fulfil whatever engage-
ments I have made with the merchants for their wares, as
well on this as on the other side of the sea ; I beseech you
to fulfil whatever gifts or legacies I have made or left to
churches and to all my servants, whether male or female ;
and when it shall please God to call upon you hence, you
will choose no other sepulchre than mine, and that you will
lie by my side in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey."
The king replied : " Lady, all this shall be done."

[A.D. 1369.] Shortly after she died, and with her life
departed the happiness, good fortune and even respectability
of Edward HI. and his family. Where Philippa had once
promoted virtue, justice and wisdom, scenes of folly, strife
and sorrow now followed at court. One of the chroniclers
of the time says : " I firmly believe that her spirit was
caught by holy angels and carried to the glory of Heaven,
for she had never done anything by thought or deed to
endanger her soul."

CHAPTER XIV.

ANNE OF BOHEMIA, SURNAMED THE GOOD, FIRS'J
QUEEN OF RICHARD II. (A.D. 1367-1394.)

The marriage of King Richard II. with Anne of Bohemia
gave general satisfaction in England, and proved a happy
cna in every respect. At the coronation, which followed a
few days after, the young bride received the title of " the
good Queen Anne." It pained her to see the distress of
the unhappy peasantry caused by the bloodshed and bar-
barous executions that had been the result of Wat Tyler's
insurrection. She compared their miserable lot with her
own bright and joyous one, and was thus prompted to ask
a great favor of the king. Having first convinced herself
that she would not be refused, she demanded a general
pardon for all malefactors. Her mediation came in time
to save the life of many an unfortunate creature, and sent
a thrill of happiness through scores of afflicted households.
No wonder then that she was called "good Queen Anne,"
but what was better still, she never forfeited the title.

Queen Anne was not a beauty, but at the age of sixteen,
when she became King Richard's wife, she was a blooming,
healthy girl, with a clear, fresh complexion and bright eyes.
She had a high, narrow forehead, long upper lip and fat
cheeks, but the remarkable head-dress she wore neutralized
these defects somewhat. It was a cap two feet high and
equally wide, scooped out at the top so as to leave two
high points resembling horns. This structure was made
of wire and pasteboard, covered with a silky gauze. Though
234

1384- Anne of Bohemia. 237

hideously ugly and excessively uncomfortable, it was
universally adopted by the English ladies in compliment to
the queen, whose taste must have been somewhat defective
if she was responsible for the device or crest she used, and
required all her knights to wear at tournaments. It
consisted of an ostrich, that most ungraceful of birds,
with a bit of iron in his mouth. But Queen Anne intro-
duced two articles into England that were no doubt grate-
fully received ; one was the ordinary pin which we of the
present day consider indispensable ; the other was the
side-saddle, not such as we are accustomed to, but a bench
with a step suspended on which the rider's two feet were
placed. This mode of riding may have been comfortable,
but the horse had to be led by a groom because it was
impossible for a lady to handle the reins herself.

[A.D. 1384.] At a festival of the Order of the Garter,
in 1384, Queen Anne wore a robe of violet cloth lined with
fur, with a hood of the same material faced with red. All
her ladies were similarly attired. The king, who was quite
a dandy, wore on that occasion, a coat embroidered in
precious stones that cost thirty thousand marks. In this
reign the shoes had long-pointed toes of an absurd length
fastened to the knees with gold or silver chains, that must
have been quite an annoyance to the wearer. But Richard
II. was very luxurious in his tastes and so fond of spending
money, that extravagant costumes were invented to please
him, regardless of taste or convenience.

Anne of Bohemia did not spend all her time in frivolous
amusements, for she read the Scriptures in her native
tongue, and may be considered one of the mothers of the
Reformation. It is possible that she may have been
influenced by her mother-in-law, Joanna, the Princess of
Wales, whom she loved very much, but certain it is that when
John Wickliffe was in danger of his life, at the council of

238 The Queens of Englajid.

Lambeth, in 1382, both these royal ladies implored King
Richard to aid in saving that reformer's life.

A war in Scotland called the king from home when he
had been married a little over a year, and while he was
away, his half-brother, John Holland, murdered Lord
Stafford. The cause of this dreadful crime was jealousy.
Stafford was a soldier of such high and noble character
that he was a great favorite with the whole English army, and
so chivalrous that the queen called him " her knight." It
was when on his way with messages from the king to Anne
that the encounter, which resulted in the death of the
honored earl, took place. John Holland had noticed him,
for many months, with increasing envy, which led him, at
last, to slay one who had not given the slightest provocation
for a quarrel. The father of Stafford was so distressed at
the atrocious murder of his dearly-beloved son, that King
Richard, prompted by the old man's demand for justice,
vowed his brother's life should pay the forfeit of his deed.
Meanwhile Holland had fled to the shrine of St. John of
Beverly, and kept out of the way until the king returned
from Scotland. Then Joanna, Princess of Wales, mother
of Richard and John Holland, pleaded, with tears and
lamentations, to one son for the life of another. Before
it was granted, she died, and the king, unable to refuse her
last request, pardoned the criminal, who started, at once,
on an atoning pilgrimage to Syria.

The queen was called upon to act as mediator again in
1387, after the defeat of the royal troops by the Duke of
Gloucester and young Henry of Bolingbroke. The Arch-
bishop of Canterbury was then sent to the king to propose
a treaty of peace, but was absolutely refused admittance to
his majesty's presence until the queen persuaded her
husband to yield. After the interview the royal household
removed from Bristol, where it had been established for
several months, to London.

1389.

Anne of Bohemia.

239

Parliament opened immediately, and the Duke of Glou-
cester, with his adherents, established a reign of terror that
made fidelity to the king and queen an offence. Several
members of Queen Anne's household were selected as vic-
tims, principally because they favored the cause of the Ref-
ormation and read the works of Wickliffe and Lollard.
The queen spared no pains in trying to save her friends,

HOUSES ON OLD LONPON BRIDGE.

and actually went on her knees to plead for the life of Johi»
Calverly, one of her esquires, but to no avail. That par-
liament was called " the merciless," and merited the title.

The succeeding two years were passed by the royal couple
at Shene, a favorite summer residence because of the beaut)
of the surrounding landscape.

[A.D. 1389.] At the meeting of parUament in 1389 Rich-

240 The Queens of England.

ard asked them, " how old he was." " Twenty-two," was
the reply, whereupon he declared that his ancestors had
been considered of age much earlier, and it w as therefore
his intention to submit to control no longer. A sort of re-
coronation then took place at St. Stephen's Chapel, when the
nobility renewed their oaths to the young sovereign, who
thenceforth governed the kingdom himself.

A splendid tournament was held in honor of this event,
over which Queen Anne presided. Sixty of her ladies,
mounted on fine horses, each led by a knight, rode, to the
sound of the trumpets, and attended by a train of minstrels,
through the streets of London. When they arrived at the
tilting-grounds at Smithfield, they passed before the queen,
who was already seated on a richly decorated stand, then
placed themselves on either side of her. The prizes con-
sisted of a richly jewelled clasp and a gold crown, which
the queen presented to the victors with her own hands.
At the close of the match, a fine banquet was served, suc-
ceeded by dancing, which was kept up until a late hour in
the night.

[A.D. 1392.] In 1392 King Richard applied to the cit-
izens of London for a loan of a thousand pounds. It was
refused, but a wealthy Italian came forward and offered
the whole of the sum, whereupon a mob set upon the unfor-
tunate money-lender and tore him to pieces. Such a for-
midable riot was the result of this outrage that Richard
took away the city charter and removed the law courts to
York. This was a dilemma that had not been counted on,
and occasioned so much distress and disturbance that
Queen Anne was again called upon to act as mediator.
This time she merely persuaded her husband to make a pub-
lic passage through London with her, trusting to the citizens
to do their part, which she would follow up with her request
at the proper moment.

1392- Anne of Bohemia. 241

, The king, with his escort, appeared first in the procession,
then followed the queen and her ladies. She wore her
crown, a robe of rich velvet, and a large collar of precious
stones that blazed in the sunlight as she moved along. The
procession halted at Southwark bridge, where it was wel-
comed by the lord-mayor and other authorities, followed by
representatives of every branch of trade carrying various
devices. There the king was presented with a pair of snow-
white horses, covered with trappings of gold cloth to which
silver bells were attached. The queen received a beautiful
white palfrey, and after listening to a long speech by the
lord mayor, the procession moved on. All the streets
through which they passed were hung with flags, banners
and rich tapestry, the public fountains flowed with wine.
At different points bands of music and singers were stationed,
the latter strewing the path with fresh flowers as the royal
couple approached. Some rare and valuable gifts were
presented, among which was a tablet set in jewels with the
crucifixion engraved thereon. The king took it in his
hand and said : " Peace be to this city ! " Another was
handed to the queen bearing a request that she would not
fail to plead for the king's pardon. She cast her eyes over
it and said, with a confident air, " leave all to me."

On arriving at Westminster Palace, the king entered first,
and proceeding to the great hall, mounted the throne, sceptre
in hand, and awaited the arrival of the queen and the rest
of the procession. After all had assembled, her majesty
knelt at the feet of her royal spouse and in a firm, clear
voice made an humble and loving appeal that the charters
and liberties of his penitent subjects might be restored.

" Be satisfied, dearest wife," answered Richard, taking
her hand and raising her from her lowly position, " loth
should we be to deny thee any reasonable request. Mean-
time ascend, and sit beside me on my throne, while I speak
a few words to my people."

242

The Queens of England.

His majesty then addressed the lord-mayor, thanked him
for the exhibition of loyalty that had been made that day, as
well as for the costly presents made to himself and his wife,
bade him keep the peace of the city, and handed him back
the key and sword of his office. This reconciliation cost
the city ten times as much as the loan their sovereign had
required. King Richard was preparing for a campaign in
Ireland in the June of 1394 when his beloved wife was taken
from him. She died at Shene, and in the bitterness of his
grief, unable to bear the sight of the palace in which he had
spent so many happy hours with his late companion, Rich-
ard had it destroyed.

The body of Anne of Bohemia was carried in grand pro-
cession to London and buried at Westminster.

King Richard went to Ireland shortly after, and fre-
quently in the council-chamber of Dublin when anything
recalled his "good Queen Anne " to his thoughts he sud-
denly would burst into tears and leave the room.

CHAPTER XV.

ISABELLA OF VALOIS, SURNAMED THE LITTLE
QUEEN, SECOND WIFE OF RICHARD II. (A. D.
1387-1410.)

It seems strange that when Richard II. reached the age
of thirty he should have had a fancy to share his throne
with a child of nine, yet that was the age of Isabella of
Valois when he married her.

She was the eldest daughter of Charles VI. of France
and the wicked Isabeau of Bavaria ; but fortunately she
inherited nothing from her mother but her beautiful dark
eyes and clear olive complexion ; her goodness and lovely
character she got from her father.

When Richard was told that Isabella was too young for
him, he replied : " that every day would remedy the defi-
ciency of age, and her youth was one of his reasons for
preferring her, because he should educate her to his own
mind, to the manners and customs of the English ; and
thit, as for himself, he was young enough to wait for her."

[A.D. 1396.] When the English ambassadors waited on
Isabella to solicit her hand for Richard, one of them
dropped upon his knees and said : " Madam, if it please
God, you shall be our lady and queen." Without any
prompting, the little maid replied ; " Sir, if it please God
and my lord and father that I be Queen of England, I
shall be pleased thereat, for I have been told I shall then
be a great lady."

Her appearance and manners were very pleasing, and

243

244 ^^^ Queens of England.

from the time when it was proposed that she should marry
Richard, she began to practise how to behave as queen,
though she could not prepare herself for the sad experience
that awaited her in that exalted position.

King Richard went to Paris, attended by a retinue of
the first noblemen of his realm, to claim his little wife. At
a magnificent dinner given by the King of France, the last
of a series of entertainments that had been held in honor
of his royal guest, Isabella was presented to her future
lord. Then, attended by her parents and the whole court,
she was conveyed in a rich litter to Calais, where the
marriage ceremony was performed by the Archbishop of
Canterbury. " The little queen," as Isabella was called
from that time, made a public entry into London a few
days later, when many rich and beautiful gifts were pre-
sented to her.

The bride's marriage portion consisted of 800,000 francs
in gold. Her trousseau was magnificent; among the
gannents was a robe and mantle such as had never been
seen in England for costliness. It was composed of
crimson velvet, embossed with solid gold birds, perched on
branches of real pearls and emeralds. Down each side was
a border of miniver, there was a cape and hood of the same
fur, and the mantle was lined throughout with ermine.
Another robe was light blue velvet, embroidered with pearl
roses ; the little lady had besides coronets, rings, necklaces,
and buckles worth a large sum of money and beautiful
enough to delight the heart of any girl. Her bedroom
curtains were of red and white satin with embroidered
figures. Isabella was crowned at Westminster in 1397,
when she was just ten years old ; then she went to reside
at Windsor, where her education was continued under the
guidance of Lady de Courcy.

King Richard made frequent visits to his little wife, each

lSABfci.LA OF VAtOJS.

1396- Isabella of Valois. 247

one being the occasion of a holiday from study, and of a
great deal of pleasure to the child who anticipated the
appearance of her lord with no little impatience. Richard
was always courteous and gentle in his manners towards
ladies, and had a lively disposition, which rendered him a
very congenial companion ; besides, he dressed with such
exquisite taste that the admiration he inspired in the heart
of Isabella warmed into an affection that she never ceased
to entertain for him as long as he lived.

When King Richard went to France to claim his bride,
he spent so much money that he found himself deeply
involved in debt. This led to a fierce struggle with the
party headed by his uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, and the
Earl of Arundel. At last Richard would bear it no longer,
so he managed to rid himself of both his opponents. This
he did by having the duke treacherously murdered, and the
earl illegally executed.

But Richard was not accustomed to such cruel deeds,
and hjs conscience troubled him to such a degree that he
would often start up from his bed at night and cry out in
horror : " That his bed was covered with the blood of the
earl." The sudden death of Roger Mortimer, lord deputy
of Ireland, to whom Richard was warmly attached, called
him to that country to quell the rebellion that ensued.

Before his departure he went to Windsor to bid farewell
to Isabella ; while there he dismissed Lady de Courcy on
account of excessive extravagahce, and appointed his wid-
owed niece. Lady Mortimer, in her stead, as governess and
first lady of honor to his young consort.

The parting scene between the royal couple was very
touching, the king lifting his wife up in his arms and kiss-
ing her repeatedly while offering words of hope and com-
fort.

Henry of Bolingbroke, who had been absent from Eng-

248 The Queens of EtiglaTid.

land for several years, returned while Richard was away, —
a most unfortunate circumstance for the royal cause. The
Duke of York, who acted as regent in the king's absence,
was alive to the little queen's position, and hurried her off
to the fortress of Wallingford.

Attended by sixty thousand fighting men, Henry of
Bolingbroke marched through England and presented him-
self before the very gates of Flint Castle, where Richard,
with a handful of faithful knights, had fortified himself.
Upon Henry's boldly demanding admittance the king agreed
to allow him, with eleven others, to pass the wicket of the
castle. But it was soon evident that any such precaution
was unnecessary, for on looking out of the window the king
beheld the army that had come to besiege him, and surren-
dered himself at once.

While King Richard and Henry of Bolingbroke stood in
the courtyard of the castle waiting for their horses. Math,
the beautiful greyhound that always accompanied the king
when he rode out, and would never follow nor notice any-
one else, suddenly dashed through the court, leaped upon
Henry, and put both paws on his shoulders, as he had been
wont to do to the king. Henry asked the meaning of his
being thus selected for the animal's caresses. " Cousin,"
replied the king sadly, " it means a great deal for you, and
very little for me ; for the natural instinct of my favorite
dog prompts him to fondle and pay his court to you as King
of England, which you will be, and I shall be deposed."

Richard was taken to London and lodged in the Tower,
where he suffered torment because he could get no infor-
mation as to the fate of his Isabella. After a time he offered
to resign his crown to Henry of Bolingbroke, now called
the Duke of Lancaster, but received only taunts and
reproaches in reply. Meanwhile " the little queen " had
been removed from Wallingford to Leeds Castle in Kent.

139^. Isabella of Valois. 249

At the next session of parliament, the members remained
seated at Westminster Hall, while Henry, with a number
of priests, dukes, and earls rode to the Tower, dismounted
in the courtyard and entered the Hall, Then King Rich-
ard, on being summoned, walked in with his crown upon
his head and the sceptre in his hand, and addressed the
assembly as follows : " I have reigned King of England,
Duke of Aquitaine, and Lord of Ireland about twenty-two
years; which royalty, lordship, sceptre, and crown, I now
freely and willingly resign to my cousin, Henry of Lancas-
ter, and entreat of him in the presence of you all to accept
this sceptre." The king was then conducted back to his
apartments in the Tower, and the crown and sceptre were
safely locked away in the treasury of Westminister Abbey.

The following October, Henry of Lancaster assembled
parliament, and was crowned with great ceremony as Henry
IV. Isabella had been removed to Sunning Hill, where
she was treated as a state prisoner, and kept in ignorance
of the fate of her husband.

Shortly after the coronation of Henry IV. a plot against
his life was discovered, and then the fate of poor Richard
was sealed, as we shall see.

Henry's attendants kept constantly reminding him, by
hints and insinuations, that as long as Richard lived he
could not reign peaceably, until worn out with care and
anxiety he wearily asked one day while sitting at table :
" Have I no faithful friend who will deliver me of one whose
life will be my death, and whose death my life ? " After
such a speech from the king it was not likely that Richard's
life would long be spared. His attendants began to treat
him with so little ceremony at last that the royal prisoner
remarked upon it one day when he was dining ; whereupon
he was informed that King Henr)' had given new orders.

"The devil take Henry of Lancaster and thee together ! "

250 The Queens of England.

exclaimed Richard in a passion, striking the attendant who
had answered with a carving-knife. At that instant eight
armed men rushed into the room ; Richard started up, seized
the weapon that the one nearest to him ^eld, and defended
himself so valiantly that four of the attacking party were
slain outright. Then while he was fiercely warding off the
blows of three others, the leader of the band jumped upon
the chair Richard had occupied while dining, and dealt him
a blow on the back of his head that killed him instantly.

[A.D. 1339.] Thus fell the son of the Black Prince at
the early age of thirty-two, and Queen Isabella was made
a widow before she was thirteen.

The King of France was suffering from an attack of
insanity, therefore could take no steps for the restoration of
his daughter, but the French council requested Henry IV.
to allow her to return to her native land. ' He refused,
saying " that she should reside in England, as all other
queen-dowagers had done, in great honor ; and that if she
had unluckily lost a husband she should be provided with
another who would be young, handsome, and in every way
deserving of her love, that person being no other than the
Prince of Wales." But Isabella mourned her murdered
spouse so sincerely that she rejected the gallant Henry of
Monmouth and no longer felt any pride in being Queen of
Englanti.

When Charles VI. recovered, he sent ambassadors to
inquire into the condition of his daughter in England, and
to make arrangements for her return. But it was not until
late in July, eighteen months after the death of Richard II.
that his widow was restored to her parents. Henry had
seized her jewels and dower, and refused to give them up.

[A.D. 1402.] The goodness and amiable disposition of
the youthful queen had won the affection of her English
ladies, and when she parted from them they wept so much

i4ia Isabella of Valois. 253

that she was obliged to comfort them, though she, too, was
in tears.

In 1406 Henry IV. again proposed for the hand of Isa-
bella for the Prince of Wales, declaring that if the marriage
could be brought about he would abdicate the English crown
in favor of his son. But the little queen had meanwhile
promised to marry her cousin, Charles of Angouleme, son
of the Duke of Orleans. An unfavorable answer was there-
fore given to the English ambassadors, who were very much
displeased at their failure.

Isabella was not n\jjrried to her cousin until the murder
of his father by the Duke of Burgundy made him Duke of
Orleans.

[A.D. 1 410.] She loved him dearly, and lived happily
with him for nearly two years, but she was only a little more
than twenty- one when her death occurred. This Duke of
Orleans was a celebrated poet, whose compositions are still
read in France. We quote one written shortly after his sad
bereavement, but it is much prettier in the original

French : —

"Alas!
Death, who made thee so bold,
To take from me my lovely princess ?
Who was my comfort, my life,
My good, my pleasure, my riches.
Alas ! I am lonely, bereft of my mate
Adieu, my lady, my lily !
Our loves are forever severed."

CHAPTER XVI.

JOANNA OF NAVARRE, QUEEN OF HENRY IV.
(A.D. 1370-14370 '

It was to the Duke of Bretagne, Joanna of Navarre's first
husband, that Henry IV. was pai^y indebted for his
elevation to the throne of England. Henry was an exile
when Richard II. was obliged to go to Ireland, and finding
that a clear field was thus left for his return, he applied to
the Duke of Bretagne for advice and assistance, and was
unhesitatingly provided by him with vessels, soldiers, and
arms. The use he made of them is recounted in the last
reign.

Joanna, the duke's wife, met Henry of Bolingbroke, the
first time when he was making his preparations for this
expedition to England, and was very much pleased with
his beauty and attractive manners.

[A.D. 1 40 1.] When she had been a widow for two
years, and Henrj^ was established on the throne, she
willingly accepted an offer of his hand in marriage. He
had then been a widower since 1394, when Anne of
Bohemia, his first wife, died.

Joanna of Navarre agreed to marry Henry IV., but she
had a family of children, and before going to England she
had to provide for them. She knew that it would be
unwise to take her sons with her, and as the eldest had
succeeded to his father's title, the people of Bretagne would
naturally object to his making England his home, so she
entered into a treaty with her uncle, the Duke of Burgundy,
^54

JOANNA OF NAVARRE.

1404. yoanna of Navarre. 257

who faithfully swor^ to preserve the laws, liberties and
privileges of the Bretons. Thereupon the little duke and
his two brothers, Arthur and Jules, were placed under his
care, and taken to Paris to live.

[A.D. 1402.] The two daughters accompanied their
mother to Winchester, where King Henry awaited her.
The marriage was publicly solemnized at the church, of
St Swithin, and afterwards there was a splendid feast.
The citizens of London made costly preparations to receive
the bride, whose coronation took place Feb. 26, 1403,
nearly three weeks after her landing in England.

Joanna was thirty-three years old at that time, but she
was still handsome, majestic, and graceful ; she was,
besides, a woman of excellent common sense, but exces-
sively avaricious. Indeed, this besetting sin not only
prompted her to make unjust demands on her subjects, and
to accept unlawful bribes, but also prevented her from
performing those deeds of charity that one reasonably
expects from people in lofty positions.

The festivities that succeeded the coronation were rudely
interrupted by an attack of the Bretons on the merchant
shipping along the coast of Cornwall. This made the
queen distasteful to her new subjects at once, though as
her own son, the Duke of Bretagne, was then entirely under
the influence of the Duke of Burgundy, it was the French
who were responsible for the attack. Then followed the
Percy rebellion and the battle of Shrewsbury, where the
king so nearly lost his life.

[A.D. 1404'.] Joanna further increased her unpopularity
by filling her palace with her former subjects, an error
that many Queens of England had made before her. But
in this instance it was soon rectified, for the House of
Commons took the matter in hand and cleared the royal
household of nearly all the Breton servants. As the king

258 The Queens of Etiglaiid.

was well aware that the voice of the people had secured
for him his position, he dared not interfere.

SHREWSBURY.

Three years after she had ascended the throne of England,
Joanna was called upon to part with her daughters, because
their brother, whose subjects they were, claimed them.

1 419- Joanna of Navarre. 261

He had a husband provided for each, and they were
married soon after their return to France.

[A.D. 1413.] The death of Henry IV., which occurred
in 1 41 3, left Joanna again a widow. His interview with
the Prince of Wales, during which he resigns his crown
and offers most excellent advice, is correctly given in the
fifth act of Shakespeare's Henry IV.

When the new king, Henry V., ascended the throne,
he treated his stepmother with every mark of attention
and respect, so much so that when he started on his
expedition against France she was appointed regent in his
absence.

[A.D. 1 41 5.] The Duke of Bretagne took no part in this
contest; but Queen Joanna's second son, Arthur, made
the first attack on Henry's camp, at the head of two
thousand French cavalry, near Agincourt. Jt was midnight
on the eve of St. Crispin's day and a violent storm was
raging when the assault was made. It resulted in victory
for the English ; Arthur was wounded and taken prisoner.

It was with an aching heart that Queen Joanna was
called upon to receive the royal victor when all England
rejoiced at his return ; for her son-in-law and her brother
had both been killed at the battle of Agincourt, and her
son, Arthur, was brought to her kingdom in chains. She
had been separated from the boy for twelve years, and now
she was only permitted to give him a fond embrace, and
then see him consigned to the gloomy Tower. Although
Henry continued for a time to treat the queen with con-
sideration, he would listen to no proposition or entreaty of
hers for Arthur's release,

[A.D. 1419.] At last, on an accusation of witchcraft,
preferred against Joanna by her confessor, who declared that
she was planning with two sorcerers who were dealing with
the powers of darkness for the destruction of the king, she

262

The Queens of England.

was committed to Pevensey Castle as a prisoner. Henry
V. gave the queen no opportunity of justifying herself, but
no attempt of hers on his life was ever proved.

[A.D. 1422] Her money was all appropriated by King
Henr}^-, and she did not regain her liberty until his death
was at hand ; then his conscience smote him, and he did
his utmost to make amends.

Joanna lived many years to enjoy her restored liberty
and kept her court chiefly at Havering Bower, surrounded
by all the luxuries that wealth could procure.

She died in 1437, and was buried at Canterbury
Cathedral beside Henry IV.

COSTUMES.

CHAPTER XVI I.

KATHERINE OF VALOIS, SURNAMED THE FAIR,
WIFE OF HENRY V. (A.D. 1401— 1437.)

Charles VI., King of France, and his wife. Queen Isa-
beau of Bavaria, had eight children, three sons and five
daughters, of whom Katherine was the youngest. The boys
became in turn Dauphins of France ; Isabella, the eldest of
the family, was married to Richard II. when she was only
eight years of age, and had an experience throughout her
short life such as has never been recorded of so young a
girl. But she proved herself a devoted wife, and bore her
sufferings with true heroism. She died when Katherine was
only nine years old. Two of the daughters of Charles VI.
became duchesses, Marie entered a convent, and the two
little ones, Michelle and Katherine, at the respective ages
of three and five, we find shut up in the dismal Hotel de
St. Paul with their brothers and their infirm father.

Queen Isabeau was one of the most wicked women that
ever lived, for she not only joined her brother-in-law, the
Duke of Orleans, in stealing the revenues of the royal
household, thus leaving her husband and children with no
means of support, but she neglected them most criminally,
and then, for a long time, deserted them. The poor king
was insane, which fact in itself would have kept any true
wife at his side, but his guilty, wretched consort deserved
neither the title of wife nor mother, for she neglected her
duty as both. Her daughters inherited her splendid, large,
dark eyes, as well as her clear, brilliant complexion, but,
^63

264 The Queens of England,

fortunately for themselves and others, none of her wicked-
ness.

While at the Hotel de St. Paul these poor little children
were almost starved to death, and as their mother had left
them without a change of linen they ran about in filthy
rags. Some of the inferior attendants of the palace had
compassion enough to give them a little food, but the ser
vants of the royal family were left without money, conse-
quently they neither could nor would provide for the chil-
dren. Their condition must have been pitiable, indeed, but
God watched over them, and as by a miracle their father's
reason suddenly returned to him one day. For a long while
he had been totally unconscious of the misery that sur-
rounded him. What must have been the agony of the good
man when he beheld his own plight and that of his innocent,
forsaken little ones? It makes one shudder at the thought.
But it had a different effect on the cruel, infamous Isabeau ;
for no sooner did she hear that her husband's reason was
restored than she began to tremble for her own safety, as
well she might. She therefore hurried away to Milan, and
ordered her brother Louis, who was as bad as she, to bring
the children to her.

He obeyed, and not only carried off the five royal children
but also those of the Duke of Burgundy. Their absence
was soon discovered, and the duke sent a troop of armed
men after them, who overtook them before they had got
very far. After securing the children of both families the
men turned respectfully to the Dauphin Louis, then only ten
years old, and asked him " whither he would please to go."
" I will return to my royal father," replied the boy. He
was eagerly obeyed and carried back to Paris with his com-
panions.

Later, Lsabeau got possession of the little Katherine, but
her conduct became so infamous that she was imprisoned,

KATHERINE OF VALOIS.

1387-

Katherine of Valois.

267

and the child was sent to a convent to be educated. We
will leave her there for a while to tell something about
Henry V., who became her husband.

[A.D. 1387.] He was born in 1387, and was a very sickly
infant, but he had a devoted mother, who took such good
care of him that he soon grew strong. She gave him his
first lessons in Latin, and he was afterwards blessed with an

FRIAR bacon's STUDY, OXFORD.

excellent education. At the age of ten he played the harp
well, and was extremely fond of music. Later in life he
performed on the organ and composed sacred airs. After
his mother's death, Richard IL took possession of the boy,
who then lived at the palace, until he was placed at Oxford
to complete his studies.

He was only sixteen years old when he fought at the bat

268 The Queens of England.

tie of Shrewsbury, where he proved himself a brave prince.
He advanced too rashly on the enemy, and received a seri-
ous wound in the face that left a scar to the end of his life.
On being advised to retire that the point of the arrow might
be taken out, " To what place ? " he asked, " who will remain
fighting, if I, the prince, a king's son, retire for fear at
the first taste of steel ? let my fellow-soldiers see that I bleed
at the first onset ; for deeds, not words, are the duties of
princes who should set the example of boldness."

Henry V. was extremely poor while he was Prince of
Wales ; but that did not prevent his enjoying himself, even
though his dissipations, and recklessness forced him into
company far beneath him in rank. He was at times so
pushed for money that he would disguise himself as a high-
wayman, and lie in wait for the collectors of the rents due
the crown and rob them. Sometimes he got soundly beaten
himself, but he always rewarded those officers who made
the boldest fight. He knew how to appreciate faithfulness,
even when it .told against himself.

He performed some of the wildest pranks when he lived
at a manor near Coventry. On one occasion he and some
of his friends were arrested by the mayor of that town for
raising a riot, and this was not the only time that he was
locked up in jail. The young nobles found that they could
have so much liberty and fun at " Prince Hal's " house
that they preferred it to the king's court. This made
Henry IV. quite jealous at times, but it did not prevent
their flocking to the manor and enjoying their mad frolics.
During one of these, a favorite servant of the prince was
arrested and taken before Judge Gascoigne. No sooner
did Henry hear of it than he rushed to the court of justice,
where the servant stood awaiting his trial. Walking boldly
up to the man he endeavored to remove his chains ; the
judge interfered, whereupon the prince boxed his ears

1387- Katherine of Valois. 269

soundly. Such an outrage caused great indignation on the
jiart of Gascoigne, who not only reproved the young man
as he deserved, but actually had him locked up in the prison
of the King's Bench, No doubt the prince regretted that
he had allowed his temper to get the better of his common
sense ; for, after he had taken time to reflect, he submitted
with a good grace to his well-merited punishment. When
Henry IV, heard of this occurrence, he said : " he was
proud of having a son who would thus submit himself to
the laws, and that he had a judge who could so fearlessly
enforce them."

For a long time the king had been trying to get a wife for
his wild son, no doubt with the hope that marriage would
improve his bad behavior. Several ladies had been pro-
posed, but in each case something happened to prevent an
engagement. At last both father and son seemed deter-
mined on obtaining the fair Katherine for the lofty station
of Princess of Wales. The Duke of York was sent on a
private mission to demand her hand in marriage for Prince
Henry, and while he was absent the king died.

A short but fierce civil war had to be fought before Henry
V. could take possession of the throne, because somebody
raised a report that Richard H., who would have succeeded,
was still alive. In order to restore peace, Henry was
obliged to have Richard's corpse paraded through the
streets. It was carried in a chair of state adorned with regal
ornaments, Henry walking by its side, and all the court fol-
lowing. After a solemn ceremony it was safely laid away
in Westminster Abbey, and tranquillity returned.

Then the new king made another application for the hand
of Princess Katherine, at the same time demanding the
enormous dowry of two millions of crowns and all the
southern provinces of France.

Charles VI. tried to compromise, and offered 450,000

270 The Queens of England.

crowns. This the English lover refused with disdain. In
fact, he wanted an excuse for invading France, so resolved
to fight for Katherine the Fair, and to win her, as well as
the gold and the provinces he had demanded, at the point
of the sword. In order to raise money for this expedition
he had to sell or pawn all the valuables he owned, but his
ambition was aroused and he never doubted that "the
game was worth the candle."

From Southampton Henry V. sent a letter to the King
of France warning him of his intended invasion, and
adding that if the southern provinces and the hand of
Katherine were not bestowed on him at once he would
take them by force.

The king replied : " If that was his mind he would do his
best to receive him ; but as to the marriage he thought it
would be a strange way of wooing Katherine, covered with
the blood of her countrymen." This answer might have
had a favorable effect on the young king had not the
Dauphin Louis excited his anger by sending him a cask of
tennis balls, saying, " that they were fitter playthings for
him, according to his former course of life, than the
provinces he demanded." "These balls," replied Henry,
making an angry pun, " shall be struck back with such a
racket as shall force open the Paris gates."

[A.D. 1415.] He left Southampton in August, 1415,
and after a furious battle took possession of Harfleur in
October. In the winter he finished his campaign by the
victory of Agincourt, which shed everlasting glory on his
name. But it was a sad day for the enemy. France
was thrown into a dreadful panic by the number of her
nobles and princes that were slain at that battle. The
Dauphin Louis is said to have died of grief on account of
it ; but when, shortly after, his death was followed by that
of his brother, there was a report that the unnatural
Isabeau had poisoned both her sons.

1418. Katherine of Valois. 271

The malady of poor King Charles returned with so many
misfortunes, and his wicked wife, taking advantage of the
confusion in the country, made her escape from prison.
She then joined the Duke of Burgundy, took the reins of
government in her own hands, and obtained control of her
beautiful daughter Katherine.

Strange to say, although this woman had so shamefully
peglected her children when they most required her care,
she became quite proud of Katherine when she saw her
such a lovely young woman, and soon exercised a surprising
influence over her. The young princess had set her heart
on becoming Queen of England, and in this her mother
heartily seconded her.

When Henry V. was laying siege to Rouen Isabeau sent
him a picture of Katherine by an ambassador, who was to
ask him, "whether so beautiful a princess required such
a great dowry as he demanded with her ? " The king
gazed long and earnestly on the portrait, and acknowledged
that it was suprisingly fair, but refused to diminish his
demands in the least.

[A.D. 1418.] At last the city of Rouen fell. France
was in a state of despair, and the queen resolved to try
what effect Katherine herself would have on the proud
heart of the conqueror, since her picture had failed to
satisfy him. A truce was therefore obtained and a
conference appointed at a town called Pontoise.

The poor crazy king, with the queen and Katherine,
came to the place of meeting in a richly ornamented barge.
There was a large enclosure made with planks on the
banks of the river Seine ; outside were tents and pavilions
covered with blue and green velvet worked with gold.
Some of these were occupied by the King and Queen of
France, the Princess, the Duke of Burgundy, his council
and a thousand soldiers. Then the King of England

2/2 The Queens of England.

arrived with his two brothers and his escort of men-at-arms,
and took possession of the remaining tents.

When the conference was about to commence the queen
entered the enclosure from the right side followed by
Katherine. The King of England entered from the left,
advanced towards the queen, whom he saluted with
profound respect, and kissed her as well as the princess.
He then took his seat opposite, while the Earl of Warwick
made a long speech in French. Some time was spent in
discussion, when the parties took leave of each other and
separated, leaving everything as unsettled as before.
Three weeks later the same personages, with the exception
of Katherine, met for another conference on the same
spot. Finding that her daughter's beauty had not induced
the conqueror to lower his demands, Queen Isabeau would
not permit Katherine to be present the second time. This
arrangement displeased Henry very much, for he was
desparately in love with the handsome dark-eyed princess.
Still he remained firm, and the second conference ended
as unsatisfactorily as the first had done.

Hoping that the family of his beloved would send some
flattering messages, Henry waited a few days ; but losing
patience at last he demanded a third interview. He had
now made up his mind that he would be satisfied with
something less than he had at first required, and felt certain
that he would only have to open his arms to receive his
pretty lady-love. But lo, to his great surprise and disap-
pointment, on arriving at Pontoise he found the tents
removed, the fence that marked the enclosure torn down,
and all the planks taken away, showing plainly that the
marriage treaty was supposed to be at an end. It served
him right, but he looked upon himself as the injured party,
and flew into a perfect rage. He now loved Katherine
more than before, and turning to the Duke of Burgundy,

I420. Katherine of Valois. 273

the only member of the royal family of France who was
present, he said ; " Fair cousin, we wish you to know that
we will have the daughter of your king, or we will drive
him and you out of his kingdom." The duke replied
angrily, and many high words passed between the two men
before they separated.

Henry continued his war in France, conquering at every
step, until, reduced to dire distress, the royal family were
forced to pocket their pride, and beg to have the marriage
treaty renewed. Henry was even asked to name his own
terms. He haughtily replied : " That he had been deceived
so often that he would treat with no one but the Princess
Katherine herself, who, he was sure, would not try to
deceive him." This message was carried to the queen, who
returned a love-letter written by the princess, and a
request that Henry would come to Troyes for the ceremony
of espousal. He consented with pleasure.

Henry V. had not been modest in his demands, for with
the hand of Katherine he was to receive not only the prov-
inces he had named in the first instance, but also the
regency of the whole of France, thus disinheriting the older
children of the royal family.

[A.D. 1420.] On his arrival he was conducted with great
ceremony to the Hotel de Ville, where apartments had been
provided for him, and the next day he met Queen Isabeau
and his lady-love at the church of Notre Dame, where, before
the high altar, the articles of peace were read and signed.
Henry's tall, handsome figure was well set off that day by
the magnificent suit of burnished armor in which he appeared.
In his helmet was a fox's tail ornamented with precious
stones. A flowing plume would have been much prettier,
but he liked to dress oddly sometimes, and no doubt thought
that a little surprise of this sort would excite Katharine's
interest.

2/4 The Queens of England.

After the treaty was signed, King Henr}' requested an
interview with his lady-love, which was granted, nobody
besides being present excepting one female attendant.
Katherine could speak little English, and Henry's knowl-
edge of French was slight, which made their love scene, as
Shakspeare has represented it, quite laughable. When he
asks her : " Do you like me, Kate ? " she replies : " Pardon-
nez moi, I cannot tell vat is — ' like mel^" But when he
tells her she is like an angel, her knowledge of English serves
her very well, though she modestly refers to her attendant,
who speaks worse than she does, to have it explained.

Henry makes a long speech, assuring her of his love, and
asking for hers in return, and this she understands so well
as to say : *' Is it possible dat I sould love de enemy of
France ? "

" No," he replies, " it is not possible you should love the
enemy of France, Kate ; but in loving me you should love
the friend of France ; for I love France so well that I will
not part with a village of it : I will have it all mine ; and,
Kate, when France is mine and I am yours, then yours is
France, and you are mine."

That puts her head all in a whirl, and she says, witt^a
slight frown : " I cannot tell vat is dat." But the lover
soon explains all that he wants her to understand and
receives her promise to marry him. Placing a superb ring
of great value upon her finger, Henry kisses his lady-love
and thus ends the ceremony of betrothal.

The following month they were married ; but this event
did not put an end to the war, for the hone}-moon was
passed amidst a series of sieges and bloodshed, and there
is no account of Katherine's once interceding with her hus-
band for her wretched country. If she had not been selfish
in her happiness she might have spared much miser)' to
others.

1 42 1. Katherine of Valois. 275

After the siege of Melun, Henry had Queen Isabeau pro-
claimed regent of France, so that he might visit England to
show off his pretty bride and have her crowned. First they
made a triumphal entry into Paris, where rich presents were
offered to the youthful queen, and the rejoicings were on a
most magnificent scale. The young couple spent Christ-
mas in that city, and went on the ist of February to Calais,
where they embarked for England.

[A.D. 142 1.] Towards the end of the month Katherine
was crowned at Westminster Abbey and then conducted to
the great hall, where a feast was served to a large party of
noble ladies and gentlemen. But this feast had to be pre-
pared without meat of any kind, for it was Lent, and called
for a great deal of ingenuity on the part of the caterers.
Each course was contrived to express some political mean-
ing, the motto of explaining it being always attached to the
most prominent dish.

The only instance of active benevolence that we hear of
Katherine took place at this feast, when she asked her hus-
band to give James I. of Scotland, who was a prisoner and
sat at the table, his liberty. Henry consented on condition
that the king would go with him to fight in France.

Then the young queen went to live at Windsor, where
her husband would have joined her, but he was compelled
to go back to France to fight.

It was during the siege of Meaux that news was brought
him of the birth of a son. " Where was the boy born ? "
he asked eagerly, and when he was told " at Windsor," he
repeated the following prophetic verse, which shows not
only that he must have been very superstitious, but that he
was a wretched poet : —

" I, Henry, bom at Monmouth,
Shall small time reign and much get ;
But Henry of Windsor shall long reign and lose all ;
But as God will, so be it."

2/6 The Queens of England.

Henry requested that the child should not be bom at
Windsor, because he had some mysterious belief that bad
luck hung over that palace, but Katherine had not chosen
to obey him.

The following spring she wrote a loving letter to her lord,
declaring that she longed to see him, and he immediately
wrote her to join him in France.

She landed at Harfleur with an army of twenty thousand
men, who were to assist in fighting against her unhappy
country. Her father and mother advanced with Henry V.
to meet her, and the reunion was a source of great joy to
them all. No doubt the king wanted to see his little baby,
but it had been left in England, and he was never to have
that great pleasure. His health had been failing for a long
time, but amidst the excitement of war he would not allow
himself rest until he could no longer stand. Shortly after
his wife's arrival he was carried on a litter to the castle in
the wood of Vincennes, where she was stopping, and where
he spent his last hours on earth.

[A.D. 1422.] When he was dying, he said to the Duke
of Bedford : " Comfort my dear wife, the most afflicted
creature living."

Katherine was not twenty-one years old when her hus-
band died, and her grief was most violent, for she loved
him devotedly. She made all the funeral arrangements
herself, and they were conducted with great pomp.

The body was laid on a chariot drawn by four black
horses. Above it was a bed on which lay a figure made of
leather, and painted to resemble the dead king. On the
head of this figure was a crown of gold and precious stones,
and around the body a purple robe lined and trimmed with
ermine. In the right hand was a sceptre, in the left a globe
of gold with a cross rising from it. The face was uncovered,
and a canopy superbly decorated was held above it. The

DONJON Al Vi.NCt.N.Nt;

1422. Katherine of Valois. 279

King of Scots and a number of princes, lords, and knights
followed in deep mourning. Four hundred armed knights
rode around the car with their lances pointing downward,
and these were followed by a company of men clothed in
white bearing lighted torches. The queen with her retinue
came about a mile behind. When the procession reached
London it was met by fifteen bishops, a score of abbots, and
a vast crowd of priests and people. They proceeded along
the streets chaunting hymns for their dead king. After
his burial Katherine raised a magnificent tomb to his
memory.

The little prince was just eight months old when his
mother returned to him at Windsor, where she spent the
first few weeks of her widowhood. When parliament met,
four months later, she removed to London and passed
through the city on a throne drawn by white horses and
surrounded by all the princes and nobles of England.
With her infant on her lap, the young mother looked very
pretty and interesting, and it is said that the little fellow
behaved remarkably well. As he grew up he was present
each year at the opening of parliament, and when he
reached the age of seven the Earl of Warwick was appointed
his tutor. He was crowned at Westminster, and afterwards
the ceremony was repeated at Paris.

In the meantime his mother had become reconciled to
the loss of her husband, and had married one Owen Tudor,
with whom she lived very privately. After Henry V. died,
the English met with many disasters in France, for there was
nobody to lead them as this great warrior had done. This
was a cause of deep sorrow to Katherine, and, with other
anxieties, broke down her health. She died on the 3d of
January, 1437, and was buried in "Our Lady's Chapel" at
Westminster Abbey.

CHAPTER XVIII.

MARGARET OF ANJOU, QUEEN OF HENRY VI.
(A.D. 1429-1479.)

Margaret was the last of the Provencal Queens of
England, and she filled a most important position for more
than a quarter of a century. Through her mother she was
a direct descendant of the great Emperor Charlemagne, and
her father, Ren^ of Anjou, was the son of the King of
Sicily and Jerusalem.

[A.D. 143 1.] When she was about two years old her
father fought a battle against Anthony of Vaudemonte, and
was taken prisoner. This battle was to decide who was
to rule over Lorraine, and as Ren^ was ca'ptured he was
handed over to the Duke of Burgundy, who locked him up
in the top of a high tower at Dijon. While there the royal
captive amused himself with painting on glass ; some of the
beautiful specimens of his art were preserved, and are still
to be seen in the chapel of the Castle of Dijon.

During the imprisonment of her husband, which lasted
a long time, Margaret's mother was left with the entire
care of their four young children, two boys and two girls,
all of whom were remarkably pretty and interesting.
Many months passed, and at last Ren^ was granted per-
mission to leave the prison on condition that he would
consent to the marriage of his elder daughter, Yolante,
xhen in her ninth year, with Frederic of Vaudemonte, the
son of the man by whom he had been made a captive.
She was to have for her dowry part of the disputed lands
280

MARGARET OF ANJOU.

i43«« Margaret of Anjou, 283

of Lorrahie. Besides, Rend had to pledge himself to pay
a heavy ransom to the Duke of Burgundy, to give his two
sons as hostages, and to allow Yolante to go and live with her
new mother-in-law. At the same time, the baby Margaret
was promised in marriage to Pierre, Count of St. Pol, but in
consideration of her youth she was permitted to stay at
home. So out of their four children these unhappy parents
took back only one to Nancy, where they were living.

All Rend's efforts to raise the ransom failed, and there
was nothing left for him to do but to deliver himself up at
last and go back to prison. His son John went with him,
while Louis, the younger one, was restored to his distressed
mother.

Two years passed away, and Louis, King of Naples, died.
Ren^ was his rightful successor, and his faithful wife
immediately took steps to claim the throne for him. She
was a woman of superior talent, courage, and energy, and
as she lived at the time when the renowned Joan of Arc
was flourishing, it did not appear in any way odd or strange
that she should fight for her rights. She at once assumed
the title of Queen of the Two Sicilies, and went to live in
the Castle of Tarascon, on the banks of the river Rhone.

Her two children became such pets among the Proven-
9als, who loved their captive prince, that they were almost
worshipped. Every time they went out the people would
follow them in crowds, sing and strew flowers in their
path, and present them with offerings of wreaths. At
night they would light bonfires in front of the castle,
because there was a superstition among them that it was
the way to keep off pestilence. Once when a band of
people, calling themselves witches and fairies, came with
the crowd to see the pretty children, they were all burned
alive, the ignorant of those times believing that pestilence
was brought by the magic of such creatures. Notwith-

284 The Queens of England.

standing this precaution a plague really did break out, and
the queen was obliged to hurry away with her little ones.
They embarked at Marseilles and went to Naples, where
there was an ancient palace belonging to the family of
Anjou.

The queen then had her husband proclaimed King of
the Two Sicilies. At this ceremony she was seated with
her children in the chair of state, which was covered with
velvet embroidered with gold, and borne through the streets
of Naples. She never ceased working until she obtained
her husband's freedom, and witnessed his grand entry into
Naples on a stately white charger, followed by a Provencal
army.

[A.D. 1435.] I^ the treaty for his liberation the follow-
ing very remarkable article, proposed by the Duke of
Burgundy, appears : — " And to cement the peace between
the two powers, Margaret of Anjou, second daughter of
King Rene, shall espouse the young King of England."
Margaret was then only six years of age. Her parents
removed to a magnificent palace, where she and her brother
Louis pursued their studies together for several years.
Then Louis died and Margaret experienced in this loss her
first real sorrow.

King Rend's territories fell into the hands of the English,
and he was reduced to such poverty that he retired with
his family to Lorraine, where he spent his time writing
verses and composing music that was the delight of all
Europe. It was he who invented the opera ballet, and
while thus pleasantly engaged he bore his trials with per-
fect indifference.

In the meantime, Margaret's engagement with St. Pol
was broken off on account of the prospect of an alliance
with the King of England. She had become a beautiful
girl, and had created quite a sensation at the court of her

1444- Margaret of Anjou. 285

aunt, the Queen of France, by her wit and accomplishments.
When Henry VI. heard of her charms he sent a gentle-
man to find out if they had not been exaggerated, and at
the same time to bring him a correct portrait of the Lady
Margaret. The messenger returned with an eloquent
description of her, partly because it was really deserved,
and partly because he, as well as many persons of both
the English and the French nations, hoped that this alliance
would bring about a lasting peace between their countries.
Henry was then in his four-and-twentieth year, good-
looking, with a cultivated, refined mind, and excellent
morals.

[A.D. 1444.] In 1444, commissioners met to arrange a
treaty of peace, which was to be strengthened by the mar-
riage of Henry and Margaret. When King Rent's consent
was asked he gave it on condition that the dominions of
Anjou and Maine were returned to him. This was granted
by Henry and his council, and neither mo«ey nor lands
were required for a dowry with the bride, her beauty and
talents being considered sufficient "to outweigh all the
riches in the world."

There was some opposition made to this marriage by the
Duke of Gloucester and his party, who did not want peace
with France, nor a daughter of the house of Anjou on
their throne ; but it was all arranged in spite of them, and
the Duke of Suffolk sailed from England with a splendid
train of nobility to conduct Margaret to her future home.

The marriage ceremony was performed at Nancy in
presence of the bride's parents, the royal family of France,
and a large number of nobles and ladies. King Henry
was not present, but Suffolk stood in his place, and mar-
ried the Lady Margaret in the name of the Sovereign of
England.

King Ren(i gave a grand tournament in honor of the

286 The Queens of Etigland.

marriage, and all the princely knights and gallant warriors
wore garlands of daisies out of compliment to the bride,
who had chosen this flower for her emblem. The festivi-
ties lasted eight days, and were attended by most of the
nobles of France, England, and Burgundy. Margaret's
sister, Yolante, was married at the same time, and this is
how it was managed : she had been engaged to Frederic
of Vaudemonte for more than nine years, but as her father
had been forced to agree to this engagement when he was
a prisoner he never intended to fulfil it. But the lover
was not to be put off any longer, so he made a plan with
some of his daring young friends to carr)' off his lady-love
while the tournament was going on. King Rene was very
angry at first, but soon forgave the young couple, and the
festivities continued with fresh spirit.

At the end of the week Margaret took a mournful fare-
well of her weeping family and friends, by whom she was
deeply loved. ^ Her uncle, Charles VII. of France, went
part of the way with her. At parting, he pressed her in
his arms tenderly, and said, with his eyes full of tears :
" I seem to have done nothing for you, my dear niece, in
placing you on one of the greatest thrones in Europe, for
it is scarcely worthy of possessing you." The young
queen was sobbing so that she could not reply, and they
parted never to meet again. Her father went with her
still further, and when they embraced in farewell they could
not speak, but turned away from each other with hearts too
full to permit of their uttering a single word.

The wars with France that had lasted so long had made
Henry so poor that he was obliged to call a meeting of par-
liament, when his bride was coming, to get money to defray
the expenses of his wedding and Margaret's coronation, and
for the same purpose he pawned some of the crown jewels.

The young queen had been so ill on the voyage that she

1445- Margaret of Anjou. 28/

had to be carried from the boat to the shore. A terrible
storm was raging when she landed, but in spite of the thun-
der and lightning, people flocked in crowds to look at her.
It was many days before she could proceed on her journey,
because her illness proved to be something that looked very
like small-pox. However, it could not have been a very
severe case, because her beauty was not impaired in the
least.

[A.D. 1445.] She was able to join her husband at last,
and their nuptials were solemnized at Tichfield Abbey, in
April, 1445. The bridal ring contained a ruby of great
value, and had been a present to the king from his uncle,
Cardinal Beaufort.

Poor Margaret's wardrobe was so scanty that Henry was
obliged to buy her some clothing before she could appear
in public. This to a girl of fifteen, who probably expected
a fine trousseau when she married at least, must have been
distressing. Although the English were dissatisfied because
their new queen brought no dower, and because of her rela-
tion to the royal family of France, her beauty won its way
to their hearts, and secured for her a hearty welcome where
ever she appeared. All the knights and nobles wore her
emblem flower, the daisy, in their caps, when they came in
a body to receive her in state. This must have been a very
flattering compliment, and the king carried it still further
by having " Marguerites " engraved on his silver. Grand
preparations had been made in London for the young
queen's reception ; there were triumphal arches across the
principal streets bearing mottoes and beautiful designs in
flowers, besides banners and evergreens. At every corner
there were pictures or dressed-up figures having some po-
litical meaning, or offering some mark of welcome and
loyalty to the new sovereign.

A large procession of men on horseback conducted hej

288 The Queens of England.

into the city. These consisted of, first, the Duke of
Gloucester with five hundred attendants, all wearing his
badge and livery ; then the mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs in
blue gowns with embroidered sleeves and red hoods. Next
came the queen's carriage, surrounded by her suite, and a
long train of followers brought up the rear.

The coronation took place at Westminster two days later
with great splendor, though the king's treasury was almost
empty. No doubt all this display was very gratifying to
King Rent's faithful steward, squire, and minstrels, who
came to England to witness the reception of their princess,
then went back home to tell all about it.

A few weeks after the coronation an embassy arrived
with congratulations to Henry VI. from the King of France,
and Ren^, Margaret's father. Henry received them seated
in a large chair of state covered with blue tapestry. His
long robe of scarlet velvet with gold embroidery swept the
floor. When the ambassadors made their speech, wishing
him the blessings of peace and prosperity, he raised his hat
and said, several times : " St. John, thanks ; great thanks
to St. John ! " They then inquired after the health of the
young queen, and expressed a hope that the peace then
existing between France and England would last forever.
Henry replied : " That he desired the continuance of peace
beyond anything on earth ; " to which all who were present
answered, " Amen ! "

For the first two years after Margaret's marriage. Cardi-
nal Beaufort was her chief adviser, and she became so fond
of him that she would often make visits at his house in Wal-
tham Forest, where there was a room magnificently fitted
up for her special use with hangings of spun gold from
Damascus. Henry was attached to the good cardinal also,
and was always glad to be guided by his advice. He was
of the greatest assistance to the young couple on several

1445- Margaret of Anj oil. 289

occasions, for his immense wealth enabled him to help
them out of many a debt that they could not otherwise
have paid.

At this time Margaret was a woman of unusual intellect and
grace of manners. One of the chroniclers of her reign says
of her : " England had never seen a queen more worthy of a
throne than Margaret of Anjou. No woman surpassed her
in beauty, and few men equalled her in courage. It seemed
as if she had been formed by Heaven to supply to her royal
husband the qualities which he required in order to become
a great king."

It was a pity that she was called to share the throne of
England when she was so young, for her judgment was not
formed, and she had a nature that was more likely to create
enemies than friends. She was very foolish in her treat-
ment of the Duke of Gloucester, Henry's uncle, who, she
knew, had been one of those most strongly opposed to her
marriage. For this she could not forgive him, and, like a
spoiled child, took every opportunity of showing him what
influence she had over the king, and how much she loved
Cardinal Beaufort and the Duke of Suffolk, both of whom
were his sworn enemies. But there was a great change in
her life by the time she had been two years on the throne,
for Henry's ministers met in parliament, and decided on
the destruction of the Duke of Gloucester. He had shown
a disposition to join the Duke of York for the purpose of
opposing the queen and her influence in every possible way.
Although the king had no particular evidence to offer
against his uncle, he was convinced that he was his enemy,
and had him arrested for high treason. The whole country
was astonished at this charge, but the astonishment was
changed'to horror, when, seventeen days later, the Duke of
Gloucester was found dead in his bed. Murder was sus-
pected, but there was no proof of it. Some people even

290 The Queens of England.

accused the queen of having had a hand in it, but it is not at
all probable that so young a girl, and one of Margaret's open,
candid nature, could have been guilty of so foul a deed.

Eight weeks later the venerable Cardinal Beaufort died,
and the young queen was thus deprived of a friend and
adviser, whose large experience and profound wisdom had
made his counsel so valuable to her. This was, indeed, a
most serious loss, for Henry had not the qualities requisite
for the government of a kingdom, and this duty, therefore,
fell upon the shoulders of Margaret, who was so young that
she had scarcely learned to govern herself. The king was
absorbed in his studies and in the regulation of the college
at Eton, that the had just founded. Affairs of state interested
him but little, so his wife naturally turned for advice to the
nearest friend of the departed cardinal. This was the Duke
of Suffolk, a gray-haired statesman and soldier, who had
ser\'ed in the English army for thirtj-four years. He was
also a member of the king's cabinet, and his wife was Mar-
garet's favorite maid of honor.

During the interval of peace that the English nation
enjoyed before they were again forced into war, Margaret
laid the foundation for Queen's College. She also tried
to get the people interested in the manufacture of woollen
and silk goods that had been commenced there many years
before, but the desire for fighting had grown so that it was
impossible to make those men or their sons who had
fought in France, till the soil or weave cloth. The silk
manufacture was chiefly carried on by women, while the
men thirsted for the excitement of war in spite of its
miseries.

[A.D. 1449.] In 1449 Charles VH. renewed hostilities,
and in the course of two years had got back most of the
towns in Normandy. The Duke of York and his party
blamed "that French woman," as they contemptuously

1449-

Margaret of Anjou. 291

called Margaret, for all their losses, and declared that
the king was fit for a cloister rather than a throne, since
he left all the affairs of his kingdom in the hands of a
woman.

The Duke of York made himself so offensive to Margaret
that she resolved to get rid of him at any cost ; she there-
fore appointed him governor of Ireland. This was a
serious mistake, for it only increased his power. He left
a strong party in England who were opposed to the queen,
though not openly, and did everything to make her and her
favorite minister unpopular. They never ceased their
efforts until they saw the Duke of Suffolk first imprisoned,
then banished, and finally put to death by his enemies in
defiance of the crown.

This tragedy was the first of many scenes of blood and
horror that were in store for England. The misery of the
lower classes caused by famine and disease was so great
that they rose in rebellion, headed by Jack Cade, who
gathered his rough motley forces about him at Blackheath.
They numbered fifteen thousand, but when they heard that
King Henry was coming in person to fight them, they got
frightened, and fled to a place called Seven Oaks.

It was a pity that Queen Margaret went with her
husband, for although she became warlike later in life, she
was so little disposed to fight at that time that no sooner
had Henry gained a victory than she persuaded him to go
back with her to London. She could scarcely have com-
mitted a greater error, for the rebels mistook the king's
departure for cowardice, and marched straight to the
metropolis, where there is no telling what they would have
done had not the churchmen interfered and calmed the
storm. At their approach the king and queen fled to
Kenilworth Castle, and the archbishop took it upon him-
self to pardon the rebels if they would return in peace to
their homes.

292 The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1450.] Cade was not pardoned, but when he
found himself deserted by his followers he made his escape.
A thousand pounds were offered for his head, and the
sheriff of Kent, who caught him, obtained the reward. It
was afterwards proved that the Duke of York was at the
bottom of this revolt.

The royal couple had now taken the Duke of Somerset
into their favor, and though he was exceedingly unpopular
in England he succeeded to Suffolk's high office. He
belonged to the house of Lancaster, and it is said that his
violent temper caused the beginning of those dreadful
" wars of the roses " that lasted for twenty years. He had
a dispute with Warwick in the Temple Gardens, and plucked
-a red rose, calling on all the bystanders who sided with
him to do likewise. Warwick chose a white rose, and did
the same, and forever after the two parties of York and
Lancaster were distinguished by this sign. Instead of
endeavoring to settle the dispute. Queen Margaret wore
the red rose, and very imprudently declared herself an
opponent of the other party.

In time the Duke of York became so powerful that the
queen advised her husband to make an attack on him.
He consented, and marched toward the Welsh border, but
he was too weak to take a firm stand as he ought to have
done to crush his enemy, and consented to an interview
with York, who demanded that Somerset should first be
put under arrest. Henry consented. York then disbanded
his army and entered the king's tent quite alone. In the
meantime the queen had contrived to get Somerset out of
the Tower without Henry's knowledge. She then concealed
him behind a curtain of the royal tent, so that he might be
present at the interview. When York assured the king
that he had taken up arms for the sole purpose of bringing
Somerset to punishment, the concealed duke rushed from

1453' Margaret of Anjou. 295

his hiding-place and accused his enemy of treason. A
fierce quarrel ensued, during which the king stood speech-
less with astonishment. As York left the tent he was put
under arrest, probably by the queen's order; but later,
when he swore fealty to the king at St. Paul's Cathedral,
he was released.

[A.D. 1452.] About this time Talbot, Earl of Shrews-
bury, one of. Margaret's most devoted friends, was killed
in battle. A magnificent volume of sketches that he
presented to her shows that he must have had great taste
for the fine arts. The colored title-page represents the
king and queen seated side by side on a low divan.
Margaret wears a royal crown ; her hair is of a pale golden
color, and falls gracefully over her shoulders. Her mantle
is of royal purple, fastened with gems and bands of gold.
She is beautiful and majestic in this picture, and does not
appear more than twenty years old. Talbot kneels before
her presenting the volume, with his dog by his side. Daisies
are painted in clusters on the title-page, and the queen's initial
(M) is surrounded by the garter and its motto. The ladies
in attendance who stand behind the divan wear heart-
shaped caps, formed of a stuffed roll ornamented with gold
and jewels, and fastened in a fanciful turban shape over a
close cap of gold cloth or net-work brought to a point in
front and rising at the back of the head. At the end of
Jhe volume is an allegorical picture representing Margaret
and the ladies of her court as the Virtues. Margaret is
Faith and King Henry appears as Honor. The old earl
was mourned by all classes of people, for he was the greatest
captain of the age.

[A.D. 1453.] It was in this year that the queen's dearly
loved mother died, and a still heavier calamity fell upon
the royal household in the fearful malady that began to
show itself in the king. He had inherited the brain dis-

296 The Queens of England,

ease of his grandfather, Charles VI. of France, and the
trouble in his court had so affected him that his reason
gave way under it. Margaret was therefore compelled to
govern alone, whether she desired it or no, and, like a good
wife, she made every effort to keep her poor ailing husband
in ignorance of all political disturbance. She had him
removed to his palace at Westminster, where he could be
quiet and kept free from all excitement, and it was there
that his only child, the unfortunate Edward of Lancaster,
called "The child of sorrow," was born. This boy was
named Edward, and was York's only rival to the throne.
He was therefore not welcome to the nation, who felt
that his existence would be the cause of much bloodshed
between the two parties of York and Lancaster.

At this period Queen Margaret was ruling, with the assist-
ance of Cardinal Kemp, Archbishop of Canterbury, but
he died a few months after the prince was born, and the
House of Lords sent a committee to the king to request
him to name a successor. But poor Henry stared at them
without understanding a word they said, and of course
could make no reply. The Duke of York was then ap-
pointed defender and protector of the king as long as his
illness lasted, or until Prince Edward should be old
enough to ascend the throne. Five physicians and sur-
geons were appointed to attend the royal sufferer and
watch over his health.

Margaret was so wrapped up in her baby, and so worried
on account of her husband's condition, that she took no
part in these political changes, but her party insisted on
her having absolute power as queen regent. York objected,
and had the Duke of Somerset put under arrest.

A few months later the king's consciousness suddenly
returned, and he seemed as though awakening from a deep
sleep. His child was then shown to him, and he noticed

1453* Margaret of Anjou. 299

the boy for the first time, although he was more than a year
old. The news of the cardinal's death brought tears to his
eyes, and he said " that he never knew of it till this time,"
and " that one of the wisest lords in the land was dead."

There was great rejoicing over the king's recovery, and
Margaret immediately took measures to have him restored
to power. Though still weak, he attended parliament and
replaced Somerset in office. But this triumph of the
queen's party did not last long, for the Duke of York
raised an army and marched towards London, intending to
take the king by surprise.

Henry had courage, but he could not bear to shed the
blood of his subjects ; however, there was no help for it
now, so he made his headquarters at St. Albans, with not
more than two thousand men. The Earl of Warwick com-
menced the attack, and the battle, which lasted only one
hour, was a desperate one, large numbers being slain on
both sides. The king was wounded in the neck, but con-
tinued to fight until left alone under the royal banner. He
then walked coolly to a baker's shop close by to have the
wound attended to. The Duke of York followed him, and
falling on his knees before the sovereign, said : " Rejoice !
for the traitor, Somerset, is slain." Henry replied : " For
God's sake stop the slaughter of my subjects." York then
took the wounded king by the hand and led him to his
apartments in the abbey of St. Albans. On the following
day they went together to London.

At the approach of the Duke of York's army Margaret
had retired to Greenwich with her ladies and the little
prince, where she awaited the result of the battle of St.
Albans with great anxiety ; and when the news came of the
defeat of her party, and the death of so many of her brave
friends, she fainted and remained in a stupor for several
hours. The king's wound was so serious that, added to

300 The Qncejis of England.

the excitement of the battle, it brought a return of his dis-
ease. He was not in a condition to attend the next par-
liament, so the Duke of York appeared in his name.

This was a parliament made up of the queen's enemies,
who naturally found great fault with her management of pub-
lic affairs. They petitioned the king to appoint the Duke of
York protector of the realm, and urged him so often and
strongly to this step that at last he consented. No sooner
was this done than the queen was advised to withdraw to
some quiet spot with her husband and child. She was
glad to comply, for her mind was so filled with these
objects of her care that she did not feel capable of any
other duties. She removed to Greenwich Palace, where
she devoted herself to the nursing of the king and the
education of her boy. But while there she received fre-
quent visits from the princes of the Lancaster family and
the young Tudors, Henry's half brothers. Besides these,
a band of brave young nobles and gentlemen gathered
around her, panting to avenge the blood of their fathers
who had fallen at St. Albans. These so strengthened the
Red Rose party that as soon as the king's health improved
Margaret felt it her duty to present him again at parlia-
ment. She therefore held a meeting of her friends and
made all the arrangements for this step.

[A.D. 1456.] When King Henry entered the House of
Lords, and addressed them in a calm, dignified speech,
telling them that since by the blessing of God his health
was so far restored that the kingdom no longer needed a
protector, they were so taken by surprise that they imme-
diately consented to his resuming the reins of government.
The Duke of York had not heard of this new move of Queen
Margaret's, and happened to be absent. When an order
reached him next day, signed by the king, requesting him
to resign his office, he was so chagrined that he retired to

1456. Margaret of Anjou. 30 1

tl^e country. Henry Beaufort, heir to the late Duke of
Somerset, was then appointed prime minister.

The poor queen had her hands full, for not only was she
obliged to keep constantly prompting her husband how to
act, but she took great pains to amuse him and to preserve in
him a calm, peaceful state of mind. Minstrels were gath-
ered from all parts of the country, and well paid for reciting
and playing to him, and daily requests came from nobles
and other subjects for leave to go on pilgrimages to the
different shrines to pray for his health. This had a very
soothing influence and filled King Henry's mind with hope.

Margaret showed a great deal of wisdom and prudence
in the way she exercised her power at this time, and feel-
ing a desire to know whether she was popular with her
subjects, she resolved to travel with the king and the little
prince through some of the midland counties and spend a
short time at Coventry. Everywhere the royal party were
received with great enthusiasm, and processions were got up
in their honor. Margaret won her way to all hearts that
were not prejudiced against her, and during her stay at Cov-
entry the citizens became so devoted to her that the name
of their town was changed to " Margaret's Safe Harbor."

Now the French and Scotch thought that as there were
two parties in England it was a good time to attack them,
but they made a great mistake, for although the nation
were divided among themselves, they became one as soon
as a foreign power dared to attack them. A general con-
gress of the two parties was called, and presided over by
the lord-mayor, who was appointed guardian of the public
peace. A treaty was formed after two months of debate
and quarrel, when the king and queen made a public entry
into London. The feast of the Annunciation was kept as
a day of public thanksgiving for the peace that reigned
between the houses of York and Lancaster, and when the

302 The Queens of England.

procession was formed to march to St. Paul's Cathedral,
the earls who had been the deadliest foes headed it, walking
arm in arm. The king followed alone, and just behind
him came the Duke of York, leading Margaret by the
hand. All appeared to be on the most loving terms, and
the happiness of the citizens of London manifested itself
in their cheering, bonfires and other signs of rejoicing.
This patched-up, make-believe peace lasted only a short
time, for the Duke of York was at that time lord admiral
of the whole English navy, and with so much power he
was not likely to remain long inactive.

[A.D. 1459.] The following year the queen made a tour
through some of the counties of England with her husband,
for the benefit of his health, as she said, though her real
object was to gain favor for her son, then a most engaging
child of six years. So well did she succeed that at the bat-
tle of Blore-heath, which was fought shortly after, ten
thousand men wore the Prince of Wales' livery. King
Henry was dangerously ill when this battle was fought.
The Yorkists were victorious, and their leader boldly
asserted his right to the crown.

But Margaret was not crushed by defeat ; on the contrary,
her energies were aroused, and she determined to take up
arms herself to fight the cause of her husband and son.
The warlike blood of Charlemagne was thrilling in her veins,
and she was the countrywoman of Joan of Arc, who had
proved herself such a successful warrior. She went to Cov-
entry, where she succeeded in getting together another army.
By this time the king's health had so far improved that she
persuaded him to march to Ludlow and meet the Duke of
York on the battle-field.

In the meantime Margaret had so increased her popularity
that many of the Yorkist soldiers refused to fight against
her husband. The duke was taken aback at this, and cir-

1459- Margaret of Anjou. 303

culated a report of the king's death, and caused a mass to
be sung in camp for the repose of his soul. Hearing of
this, the queen caused a pardon to be proclaimed in the
king's name for all who would return to their allegiance.
The Yorkist leaders did not believe in this offer of par-
don until Henry, urged on by his courageous wife, advanced
to the very gates of Ludlow Castle and proclaimed it again.
Then so many soldiers of the other side deserted that the
duke made his escape and went to Calais, leaving his wife
and her two younger sons to defend the castle. Tkey were
taken prisoners, and the whole town was destroyed.

Margaret was delighted with the success of her first cam-
paign, but she did not enjoy her triumph very long, for the
Earl of Warwick, who was a more determined enemy than
York, brought a band of experienced soldiers from Calais,
and gathering all his forces, made a tremendous charge on
the Lancaster troops, killing ten thousand of them in two
short hours, and capturing King Henry. The queen was
stationed near enough to receive the dreadful news within
an hour, and made her escape with her son to a fortress in
the north of Wales, where she was honorably received and
protected by a courageous chieftain of that country.
Nobody knew where she was hidden, not even the king,
who was taken to London and carefully guarded.

As soon as York heard of the victory of his party he
entered the city of London at the head of five hundred
horsemen, with a sword of state borne before him. He
rode straight to Westminster, and, entering the House of
Lords, walked to the throne, and laid his right hand on it
with a look around among the peers that implied he awaited
an invitation to take his seat there. Not a word was
spoken. At length the Archbishop of Canterbury broke
the dead silence, and asked him, " if he would be pleased
to visit the king." " I know of no one in the realm who

304 The Queens of England.

ought not rather to visit me," he replied, haughtily, and left
the house.

The peers then referred it to Henr}' to decide whether he
or the Duke of York had the legal claim to the throne.
He replied : •' My father was king ; his father was also
king ; I have worn the crown forty years from my cradle ;
you have all sworn fealty to me as your sovereign, and your
fathers have done the like to my father and grandfather.
How, then, can my right be disputed ?" Nevertheless, the
king agreed that if he were permitted to wear the crown
during his life, he would resign it, at his death, to the Duke
of York or his heirs. He was next compelled to order the
return of his wife and son.

All the fire in Margaret's nature was aroused at hearing
how the rights of her boy had been surrendered, but she
was without an army, and what could she do ? Suddenly
it occurred to her to seek assistance from the King of Scot-
land. He was the son of a Lancaster princess, and his wife
was a friend and relation of Margaret. She caused a
report to be circulated that she was raising an army in
France, then went secretly to Scotland, and within eight
days after her husband's order for return had been received
she crossed the Scottish border at the head of the forces
she had gathered there, and unfurled the banner of the
Red Rose. Her numbers were increased by knights from
all the northern counties of England, and before the leaders
of the White Rose party were aware of her being in the
country at all, she presented herself at the gates of York.

The duke was so taken by surprise at this bold movement
on the part of the queen that he shut himself up in his strong
Castle of Sandal to await the arrival of his son. But Mar-
garet followed him up, and defied him day after day to meet
her in the field, calling him a coward for being afraid of a
woman, until he arranged his forces for battle, hoping to

1459- Margaret of Anjou. 307

frighten her away. He soon saw his mistake though, for
Margaret was not in the least daunted at the sight of his
warriors. She did not play the Amazon herself by fighting,
but she directed her own forces, under the command of
Somerset, in such a way as to enclose the Yorkists from all
sides in a net, as it were, and in less than half an hour two
thousand of them lay dead on the field, the duke himself
among the number. Lord Clifford cut off the dead leader's
head, crowned it with paper, and presented it on the point
of his lance to Queen Margaret, saying : " Madam, your
war is done ; here is your king's ransom."

She shuddered at first and turned away, then suddenly
remembering all the trouble this man had given her, she
looked again and smiled in satisfaction. She then ordered
the head to be placed over the gates of York, and that of
the Earl of Salisbury, who was her prisoner, to be placed
beside it, adding, that room must be left for those of the
Earls of March, York's son, and Warwick, which she intend-
ed should keep them company. This was a grave mistake,
and added much to the fury of her enemies, who stopped
at no deed of cruelty and horror after that.

Her next step was to try to rescue her husband, for which
purpose she hurried on to London. But she was met at
St. Alban's by Warwick's forces leading the king in their
train. A furious battle ensued, but Margaret's stout north-
em soldiers were too much for the Londoners, and when
night came all the Yorkists fled, leaving the king behind.
One of his attendants hastened to the queen's quarters to
inform her that her lord was near, whereupon she flew to
embrace him. Accompanied by the Prince of Wales and
some of the northern lords, they went to the Abbey church
of St. Albans to return thanks to God for the king's deliv-
erance. They were received by the abbot and monks, who
prepared apartments for them in the abbey, where they
remained for a while.

3o8 The Queens of England.

But Margaret's better feelings were all changed by the
hard experience she had had, and in her desire for further
vengeance she made so many mistakes that she turned the
good-will of the Londoners towards her into hatred, and
they refused to let her enter the city. So she removed with
her troops towards the northern counties, her husband and
son accompanying her. Then Edward of York entered Lon-
don in triumph. He was received by the citizens as their
deliverer, and proclaimed king by the voice of the people
under the title of Edward IV.

This was considered the death-blow to the house of Lan-
caster, but not by the persistent Margaret, who in the
course of a few days rallied an army of sixty thousand
men. Her generals, Somerset and Clifford, persuaded her
to stay with her husband and son, while they engaged
Edward and the Earl of Warwick, first at Ferrybridge and
then at Towton. A heavy snow-storm that fell in the faces
of the Lancastrians so blinded them that their arrows did
not take effect, while those of their enemy covered the field
with forty thousand of their dead.

Margaret fled to Scotland, and Edward IV. forbade all
his subjects under pain of death to hold any sort of com-
munication with her or her husband ; yet there were many
faithful hearts ready to sacrifice life and fortune to the
heroine of the Red Rose. She and Louis XL, then on
the throne of France, were first cousins, and had been
brought up together. To him she now turned for aid, but
he received her coldly when she threw herself at his feet,
merely offering her a sum of money providing she would
give him Calais if she could not return it within a year.
The people of England objected to this, and thought that
as Calais was not hers to give she had committed treason
in making the promise.

After five months' absence she returned to England with

1463- Margaret of Anjou. , 309

two thousand volunteers, obtained more assistance from
the Scotch, and got possession of several important fo«t-
resses.

In the spring the battle of Hexham was fought, the York-
ists being victorious. Margaret fled with her son to the
nearest forest, where, after wandering about for awhile, she
fell in with a gang of robbers, who stole everything of value
that she had about her. While they were quarrelling over
the division of the spoils, she snatched up her boy and ran
away to the nearest thicket. When evening came on she
crept out of her hiding-place, dreading above all things
lest she might fall in with a band of Edward's troops,
when by the light of the moon she beheld a robber of
gigantic size advancing towards her with a drawn sword.
Taking her son by the hand she bravely advanced towards
the man with all her natural dignity of bearing and said :
"Here, my friend, save the son of your king." The rob-
ber was struck with astonishment, and dropping his sword,
offered to conduct them to a place of safety, telling the
queen that he was a Lancastrian gentleman who had been
ruined in King Henry's service. Taking the prince in his
arms he led Queen Margaret to a cave in the forest, where
his wife received them and provided refreshments. There
the fugitives remained for two days. On the third their
hiding-place was discovered by the devoted followers who
were determined to stand by Margaret to the very end.
These were Pierre de Brezd, one of her own countrymen,
his squire, Barville, and an English gentleman.

[A.D. 1463.] From them Margaret heard of the escape
of her husband and of the dreadful fate of her faithful
friends, Somerset, Hungerford, and Roos, who had been
captured and beheaded in the public market-place of Hex-
ham without trial.

On leaving the hut of the generous outlaw, the queen

3 lO The Queens of England.

thanked him and his wife with tears in her eyes. Her
friends had offered them money, which they had refused,
and Margaret had nothing left to give them. " Of all I
have lost," she said, " I regret nothing so much as the
power to recompense such virtue." She then proceeded
to Scotland, reaching there only after a great deal of hard-
ship and danger, to find that her presence caused great
uneasiness to the king, who feared that it might be the
means of bringing him into trouble with England.

She embarked for Flanders, where some of the ladies of
the court had taken refuge, accompanied by the prince, the
faithful de Brez^, and about two hundred of those ruined
Lancastrians who still had faith in her.

When she arrived at St. Pol, the Duke of Burgundy not
only received her with honors and gave a festival to wel-
come her, but he also assisted her with money. To each
of her ladies he presented a hundred crowns, to de Brez^,
who had spent the whole of his fortune in Margaret's ser-
vice, a thousand, and to the queen herself an order for
twelve thousand crowns. This princely behavior on the
part of the duke was like heaping coals of fire on Mar-
garet's head, for she had always despised him, and had been
heard to say more than once, " that if by any chance he
were to fall into her hands she would make the axe pass
between his head and his shoulders." He sympathized
with her misfortunes, and entertained her in a way becom-
ing her station, but he would give her no political aid nor
allow any of his subjects to take part in her quarrel. As
his guest she was welcome so long as she chose to stay,
and when she left he provided her with an escort

Margaret next visited her sister Yolante, Countess of
Vaudemonte, and then her father offered one of his ancient
castles in Verdun for her residence, where, with a few of
her ruined friends, she devoted herself to the education of
the last tender bud of the Red Rose of Lancaster.

I

1463- Margaret of Anjou, 313

After King Henry's escape at the battle of Hexham, he
wandered about, hiding himself in the house of one friend
or another, but most of the time in a cave, until he was
betrayed by a monk, and taken to London under arrest.
There he was treated most brutally by a mob, and after
being led through the streets by the Earl of Warwick, who
kept shouting " Treason, treason, and behold the traitor I "
he was locked up in the Tower.

It seems that Edward IV. still feared Margaret's power
in England, for he had the coasts guarded to prevent her
return, and put to the torture several persons who were
pnly suspected of having assisted her with money.

Two years later there was a great change in the politics
of England, and the Earl of Warwick took up arms to
drive the king from his throne. But he failed and was
obliged to fly to France, where Louis received him. Now
Margaret's relations saw a chance for regaining for her the
throne she had lost, so they all united in trying to bring
about an interview between her and her bitter enemy. At
first she shuddered at the thought of ever seeing him, but
when he became very humble, offered the most plausible
excuses for his conduct, and swore to defend her and her
son with all the power he had once used in opposing them,
she consented to pardon him and influenced her son to do
the same. The Earl of Oxford also obtained her pardon.

Prince Edward was then eighteen years of age, and had
fallen in love with Anne, the Earl of Warwick's second
daughter. Margaret did all she could to oppose this
match, but she was at last won over, and the marriage was
solemnized the following August, 1470.

In the meantime Warwick had raised an army to take
to England, whither he went as soon as the wedding
ceremonies were over. His wife. Queen Margaret, Prince
Edward and his bride then went to Paris by invitation fro^n

314 T^h^ Queens of England.

Louis XI. The streets of the city were magnificently
decorated and hung with rich tapestry, and all the officers
turned out in grand procession to conduct the royal party
to the palace of St. Paul, that had been fitted up for their
reception. It was there that news came of the landing of
the Earl of Warwick in England, and of his success in
liberating King Henry and placing him on the throne once
more.

[A.D. 147 1.] Then Margaret with all her party resolved
to return. In Februar}- the preparations were completed,
and the fleet set sail from Harfleur. But wind and weather
were against them, and after three times being driven bacl^
to the coast of Normandy, with great damage to the ships,
they resolved to wait.

When at last they were able to sail again, they were
sixteen days and nights making a voyage that usually took
twelve hours. After landing, they repaired to an abbey,
where they were celebrating Easter when the dreadful news
came of the death of Warwick and the recapture of King
Henry.

For the first time in her life the poor queen was
completely crushed, and wished she might die rather than
live for the misery that was yet in store for her. Some of
the Lancastrian nobles sought her out, and expressed their
intention of continuing the fight against Edward IV., and
at last so aroused her from the despondent state into which
she had fallen that she consented to aid them. Placing
herself at the head of an army that they had raised, she
marched thirty-seven miles in one day, and met her enemy
within a mile of Tewksbury.

When all arrangements were made for the battle,
Margaret rode about the field from rank to rank, encourag-
ing the soldiers with promises of large rewards if they won
the victory. It proved a sorry day for the Lancaster cause,

1479 Margaret of Anj'ou. 315

and when Queen Margaret saw her troops wofully defeated
she fell down in a swoon. She was carried from the battle-
field to a small convent near by, where her daughter-in-law
and some of her ladies awaited her. She was thus spared
witnessing the fall of her son, who was killed near the close
of the battle ; but when the dreadful truth was brought to
her, she cursed King Edward and all his posterity in her
agony of grief.

When this was repeated to the king, he thought of putting
her to death, but with a refinement of cruelty that was even
worse, he forced her and the unfortunate Princess of Wales
to take part in his triumphal entry to London. Margaret
was then shut up in the dismal prison where her husband
had been for five years, but she beheld him never again,
for he was murdered the very night of her arrival in the
gloomy fortress of the Tower.

King Rend sacrificed his inheritance of Provence to
Louis XI. for the liberation of his daughter Margaret.
Then an agreement having been made between the Kings
of France and England for her ransom, in August, 147 5, she
landed in France, with three ladies and seven gentlemen
sent by her father to escort her. Thirty years before she
had left the shores of her native land a monarch's bride in
all the pride and flush of youthful beauty ; she returned a
broken-hearted, childless widow, for whose afflictions it was
treason to shed a tear.

" Ambition, pride, the rival names
Of York and Lancaster,
With all their long-contested claims,
What were they then to her ? "

[A.D. 1479.] She died in the fifty-first year of her age,
and was buried in the Cathedral of Angers, in the same
tomb with her royal parents.

CHAPTER XIX.

ELIZABETH WOODVILLE, QUEEN OF EDWARD IV.
(A.D. 1431-1492.)

When Elizabeth Woodville was maid of honor to Queen
Margaret of Anjou she little supposed that she would ever
ascend the throne of England, yet that was her destiny not
many years later.

But, first, she became the wife of John Grey, son and
heir of the wealthy Lord Ferrers, who owned the domain of
Bradgate, where she lived until her husband's death. John
Grey was a brave, handsome man of twenty-five when he
married Elizabeth, and occupied the important position of
leader of Queen Margaret's cavalry. He was killed at the
second battle of St. Albans, leaving his young wife with two
little children, named Thomas and Richard, both under
four years of age. By the cruel fortunes of war these little
ones were deprived of their inheritance of Bradgate, and so,
with their mother, went to live at the Castle of Grafton, which
belonged to the Duchess of Bedford, Elizabeth's mother.

One day when Edward IV. was hunting in the forest of
Whittlebury, the young widow waylaid him, and throwing
herself at his feet, pleaded earnestly for the restoration of
Bradgate to her fatherless boys, who stood by her side.
Struck by her beauty and downcast looks, the king listened
attentively to her request, and not only granted it, but fell
in love with her on the spot. This interview took place
beneath the shade of a wide-spreading tree that is known
to this day as the Queen's Oak.

316

ELIZABETH WOODVILLB.

1464- Elizabetk Woodville. 319

[A.D. 1464.] Elizabeth met her royal lover many times
after that in the same place, and when the Duchess of Bed-
ford, who was a most ambitious and manoeuvring mother,
found out how matters stood, she arranged for a private
marriage, which took place May i, 1464, in the town of
Grafton.

The king's mother became very angry when she heard of
this unequal match, for she was queen at that period, and
could not bear to resign her place to the daughter of a man
who began his career as a poor squire. However, it was
too late to lament, and in the autumn the bride was led
by the young Duke of Clarence to the abbey-church of
Reading, where the king took her by the hand, and pre-
sented her to the council of peers assembled there as his
lawfully wedded wife. Elizabeth appeared that day in a
dress of rich blue and gold brocade with a long, full train
bordered with ermine. The sleeves and body were tight,
and a band of ermine around the neck, and, passing down
either side of the open skirt in front, displayed a rich satin
petticoat. Over her yellow hair, which fell loosely down her
back, she wore a lofty crown. A costly pearl necklace
encircled her throat.

Queen Elizabeth soon gained unbounded influence over
the mind of her husband, which she too frequently exerted
for the advancement of her own relatives. She had a soft,
caressing voice, and always assumed an air of humility,
when desirous of gaining a point, that had its weight with
Edward. The acknowledgment of the king's marriage was
followed by a series of the most brilliant feasts and tour-
naments ever witnessed in England.

The coronation of the new queen took "place at West-
minster Abbey, May 26th. That morning the king had
knighted thirty-two citizens, who preceded the queen's litter
on horseback. After the coronation, which was conducted

320 The Queens of England.

with great solemnity, a grand banquet was held, the royal
couple presiding.

Elizabeth was most unfortunate in soon incurring the
ill-will of Warwick, the prime minister, who had been all-
powerful in England for several years. It was increased
by the influence gained through her instrumentality by the
various members of her family. Before long, the popular
rage was excited against the Woodvilles, and England was
in a state of insurrection.

[A.D. 1469.] The queen's father and one of her broth-
ers concealed themselves in a forest, but were discovered
and beheaded, without judge or jury. This was a dreadful
blow to Elizabeth, who was warmly attached to her family.
The king went north to inquire into the cause of the out-
rage, but could not get back for a long time because War-
wick and the Duke of Clarence kept him under a kind of
restraint; however he escaped at last, and got back to
London. Then Warwick and Clarence were so frightened
at having interfered with the king's movements that they
got away with their families as quickly as possible and went
to France.

All this time the queen was safely lodged in the Tower.
But it was not very long before Warwick returned to Eng-
land, and Edward came so near falling into his hands again
that he fled half-dressed one night just as the troops
approached the castle, and embarked on board a ship at
Lynn.

Elizabeth was so alarmed for her own safety and that of
her family that she went at once to a gloomy monastery,
called the Sanctuary, where her mother and her three
daughters, Elizabeth, Mary, and Cicely, accompanied her.

[A.D. 1470.] It was there that the first son of Edward
IV. was born. He was named after his father, and chris-
tened with as little ceremony as though he had been the
son of the poorest man in the kingdom.

1483. Elizabeth Woodville. 323

By the time the little prince was five months old, the
Duke of Clarence had parted from Warwick, and Edward
returned to London, where he was warmly received. He
hastened to meet his family, and removed them from the
Sanctuary to his mother's palace, Castle Baynard. Several
battles that he fought and won after his return put an end
to so many of Edward's opponents — among them War-
wick, the most formidable — that the house of York was at
last firmly established in power and the rebellion crushed.
Then followed several years of peace, when the royal
family were settled at Windsor or at Westminster, holding
court with great state and splendor.

King Edward's second son. Prince Richard, Duke of
York, was bom during this season of enjoyment, and when
he was five years old he was formally married to Anne
Mowbray, infant heiress of the Duchy of Norfolk, aged
three.

The following spring the singular death of the Duke of
Clarence occurred. He had been condemned to execution
for an offence against the king, his brother, but one morning
he was found drowned in a butt of malmsey. Clarence
was in the habit of drinking to excess, and it was supposed
that he fell into the butt of his favorite wine while in a state
of intoxication.

[A.D. 1483.] In 1483 King Edward was seized with an
attack of fever that resulted in death. After lying in state
for several days his body was interred with great pomp in
the Chapel of St. George.

Queen Elizabeth was left in a more unprotected state
this time than when her first husband died. The young
king was pursuing his studies at Ludlow Castle, under the
care of her brother, Lord Rivers. Elizabeth proposed to
the council that he should be at once escorted to London
with a powerfiil army, but Lord Hastings, who presided.

324

The Queens of England.

could see no necessity for such a step, and so, unfortu-
nately for young Edward, it was not taken.

Meanwhile the Duke of Gloucester, who was in Scot-
land, caused Edward V. to be proclaimed at York, and
wrote such a kind, deferential letter to the queen, that she
felt she had a friend in this first prince of the blood.

The council then commanded Earl Rivers to bring the
young king to London, and Elizabeth was eagerly awaiting
him, when news was brought to her that the Dukes of

VAULT OF ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL.

Gloucester and Buckingham had met him with an armed
force, seized his person, and arrested Earl Rivers and Lord
Richard Grey, who were with him. The poor mother could
scarcely believe such an astonishing rieport. As soon as
the Archbishop of York heard what had happened, he took
the great seal and carried it to Elizabeth, assuring her that
if an attempt were made to crown anybody but her eldest
son he would take it upon himself to crown Richard. But,
when on the following day, he saw the Thames covered with
boatloads of Gloucester's soldiers, placed there to watch
the queen, he regretted what he had done, and went to the

1483- Elizabeth Woodville. 325

Sanctuary, where Elizabeth had taken refuge with the
Duke of York, to get the seal back again.

The 4th of May had been appointed for the coronation
of Edward V. He entered the city surrounded by a retinue
of the Duke of Gloucester's officers, headed by the treach-
erous duke himself, and, under some pretence, was lodged
in the royal apartments of the Tower, the coronation hav-
ing been postponed for some trivial reason.

BLOODY TOWER.

Gloucester's next object was to get possession of Prince
Richard. He would have taken him by force, but the
Archbishop of Canterbury took it upon himself to persuade
Elizabeth to give him up. This he accomplished, after a
great deal of persuasion, by working upon her sympathies
and telling her of the loneliness of her eldest son, Edward,
who was pining for a playmate. At last it was agreed that
the child should go to his brother until after the corona-
tion, for which preparations were going on night and day.

But the Duke of Gloucester intended that no such coro-
nation should ever take place, so he brought shameful
accusations against Elizabeth and her children, put several

326 The Queens of England.

of her adherents to death, and finally had himself crowned
King of England on the 26th of June.

In less than a month from that date the two little princes,
whom he had kept shut up in the Tower, were murdered
by his order. It is impossible to describe the agony of the
poor mother when she learned the fate of her two dear
little boys. She cried to God for vengeance on the wretch
who had committed so foul a crime. Only a few months
later Richard of Gloucester's only son, for whose advance-
ment he had shed so much innocent blood, died.

Elizabeth was forced to submit to the will of the usurper,
whose acts of tyranny rendered her existence bitter in the
extreme. But she lived to see her daughter Elizabeth
on the throne of England, as the wife of Henry VII., and
her own restoration to liberty.

[A.D. 1492.] She died in 1492, attended in her last ill
ness by the most affectionate care of her daughter. Her
funeral was conducted with the utmost simplicity, and she
was buried at St. George's Chapel, in the tomb with
Edward IV. The monument is of steel, representing a
double gate between two ancient Gothic towers. On a flat
stone, at the foot of this monument, is engraved :

King Edward, and his Queen,
Elizabeth Woodville.

CRYPT IN TOWER.

CHAPTER XX.

ANNE OF WARWICK, QUEEN OF RICHARD III.
(A.D. 1454-1485.)

Few women living only to the age of thirty-one, have
known as much sufEering and sorrow as came to the lot of
Anne of Warwick in that limited space of time. The
greater part of her childhood was passed at Calais, but she
was in England with her father, the Earl of Warwick, at
intervals during the struggles between the houses of York
and Lancaster, in which he took such a prominent part,
and fled with him in terror after Edward IV. escaped from
his clutches. The misery and danger of that flight to
France came to an end at last, and then succeeded a few
months of genuine happiness for this young girl.

[A.D. 1470.] The treaty concluding her marriage
with Edward of Lancaster having been duly concluded,
Anne was united to him shortly after her return to France,
only to be deprived of his beloved companionship within the
year, for he was killed at the battle of Tewksbury, and she
was left a widow at seventeen. The Duke of Gloucester,
being Anne's cousin, had seen a great deal of her during
her childhood, for they were nearly of the same age, and
had shared each other's pastimes. But he had such a
dreadful temper, and was, besides, so disagreeable, being
humpbacked and ungainly, that Anne was not fond of him.
He, on the contrary, was so much in love Avith her, that no
sooner was she free to marry than he determined to make
her his wife.

337

328 The Queens of England.

Being under the same charge of treason that included her
mother and Queen Margaret, after the Duke of Gloucester
had assumed the reins of government, she was in his power.
But she tried hard to elude his attentions and even went so
far as to take a situation in a house in London disguised
as a cook. The wily humpback found her out, however,
and placed her in a convent for safe-keeping. After a time
she was permitted to seek the protection of her uncle, the
Archbishop of York, but his arrest left her again exposed
to the persecutions of her hated cousin, who, by a series of
wicked deeds, forced her at last to marry him.

[A.D. 1473.] The ceremony took place at Westminster
in 1473, and then poor Anne was more unhappy than ever.
She lived at Middleham Castle in Yorkshire, where, for a
time at least, she was rid of her hated tyrant of a husband,
for he was engaged fighting the Scotch, and only returned
after the death of Edward IV., as mentioned in the last
reign.

In 1474 the son was bom for whom the Earl of Glouces-
ter had so foully steeped his soul in crime. This child was
Anne's one source of comfort and joy, and on him she lav-
ished all her affections.

A few days after his return from Scotland the Duke of
Gloucester started, as we have seen, with a troop of soldiers
to intercept his nephew, Edward V., on his way to London,
and proceeded with the hapless boy in his charge.

Anne joined her husband after he had caused the murder
of his two nephews in the Tower, and shared the coronation
for which he had committed so many shameful and out-
rageous deeds. The very preparations that had been made
for the coronation of Edward V. served to grace that cere-
mony when his cruel uncle usurped his rights, and the
same day Gloucester's son, Edward, was created Prince of
Wales.

ANNE OF WARWICK.

»485.

Anne of Warwick.

331

A banquet succeeded, and every detail of the entire cere-
mony was conducted with great splendor. Then the
royal couple, attended by the prince, passed through the
metropolis in procession and took up their abode at Wind-
sor Castle. Later they kept court in grand style at
Warwick Castle for a week, and afterwards travelled
through the kingdom; At York these new sovereigns were
crowned once more, and soon after Richard III. was re-
called to London on account of an insurrection headed by
the Duke of Buckingham. Anne accompanied him, leaving
her son under the protection of friends in the north, where
she thought he would be safer than in London. She never
beheld the child again, for he died during her absence.
The shock caused by this sudden and dreadful calamity so
crushed the unfortunate mother that her health began to
decline.

When she was ill and suffering her wicked husband was
more unkind to her than ever. He seemed anxious to be
rid of her, and shed only a few hypocritical tears when she
died.

In 1485 the heart-broken Anne of Warwick was buried
at Westminster, not far from the altar.

Richard III. was killed at the battle of Bosworth within
the year.

DUNGEON TOWER.

CHAPTER XXL

ELIZABETH OF YORK, QUEEN OF HENRY VH.
(A.D. 1466-1503.)

This princess was the daughter of Edward IV. and Eliza-
beth Woodville, whose secret marriage caused so much
trouble. She was shut up in the sanctuary while her father's
throne was in jeopardy, and danced at the balls given to
celebrate his restoration. She was at that time only six
years old, and when she reached the advanced age of nine
her hand had been promised in marriage four times as a
peace-offering from her father to other monarchs,

Elizabeth was well educated, for at a very early age she
could read and write her own language, as well as French
and Spanish. She was sixteen when her little brothers
were murdered in the Tower, and her love for them had
been so great that she grieved very deeply over their cruel
fate. Her engagement with Henry of Richmond, who
afterwards ascended the throne, turned her attention from
this dreadful event somewhat. Elizabeth was separated
from her mother when they left the sanctuary, and went to
the court of Richard HI., whose queen always treated her
with great kindness and consideration.

Lord Stanley, Henry Tudor's stepfather, occupied a very
high position at court, and to him the Princess Elizabeth
applied for assistance in getting possession of the throne,
to which she knew she had a right. Stanley had several
secret interviews with the princess on this subject, and
assured her that, at his bidding, his adherents in the north-
333

ELIZABETH OF YORK.

1485- Elizabeth of York. 335

west would fly to her side, armed and equipped for battle.
But, like many of the earls of his day, Lord Stanley could
not write, and he did not dare trust a public scribe with his
directions. Thereupon Elizabeth assured him that if he
would only dictate, and affix his seal, she would do all the
necessary writing. For this purpose they met in disguise.
Six letters were duly prepared and sealed, and committed
to the care of Humphrey Brereton, a knight who had been
attached to the cause of Edward IV. These dangerous
despatches were delivered according to their directions, and
on his return from the expedition Brereton met Stanley
and Elizabeth at an old inn in the suburbs of London, with
a party of gentlemen who had returned with him. This
meeting took place at night, and when Elizabeth had satis-
fied herself that no prejudice existed among these men
against her Lancastrian lover, she agreed to send him a
ring through them as a token that he might trust himself in
Stanley's power. Brereton carried this ring to Henry, who
was at a monastery some miles from Rennes. The lover
kissed his lady's present, but kept the messenger waiting
three weeks for his answer. Henry Tudor had been a
fugitive and a prisoner nearly all his life, and extreme
caution had become second nature to him.

At last he consented to undertake an expedition that
would either make or mar him, and sailed from Harfleur
with a large fleet. He was received in England with a
hearty welcome, for the people regarded him as a saviour
who was to preserve them from Richard's tyranny.

[A.D. 1485.] On the evening of the 21st of August,
1485, three weeks after his arrival, Henry encamped with
his army near Bosworth. The next day the celebrated
battle was fought, which terminated the life of Richard
in., and placed Henry Tudor on the throne.

After the death of Anne of Warwick Richard HI. had

33^ ^^^ Queens of England.

sent his niece, Elizabeth, to a castle in Yorkshire, wnere
she was kept as a close prisoner, and the first intimation
she had of her royal lover's success was when the people
of the neighborhood gathered about the gloomy building
with shouts of joy. A guard of nobility and gentry escorted
her in state to London, and she went in company with her
mother to live at Westminster Palace.

Henry VII. was recognized as King of England, and
crowned soon after ; but he seemed in no hurry about his
marriage, which did not take place until January i8th of
the following year. The event was celebrated with bon-
fires, banquets, dancing and songs, and the prelate who
performed the ceremony held a bunch of red and white
roses, tied together for -the first time. This was in com-
memoration of the union of the rival houses of York and
Lancaster.

[A.D. i486.] The royal couple then went to live at
Winchester, where in the course of a year their first child
was born. He was named Arthur, after King Henry's
favorite hero and ancestor.

[A.D. 1487.] The birth of this prince was succeeded by
his mother's coronation, which took place in November,
1487. On the Friday before that important ceremony
Elizabeth went with her husband from London to Green-
wich. She was accompanied on the river Thames by
a grand pageant of boats, the finest being rowed by the
students of Lincoln's Inn, who had beautiful music per-
formed on their barge throughout the route, and kept
side by side with that of the queen. That night was passed
at the Tower, where the king created eleven Knights of the
Bath, and the next day Elizabeth proceeded through the
city to Westminster Palace. An immense crowd collected
to behold their queen, as this was her first public appear-
ance since her marriage.

1487. Elizabeth of York. 337

She was not quite twenty-two ; her figure was tall and
handsome ; her complexion fair and brillant. She had,
besides, soft blue eyes and delicate features, set off by a
profusion of yellow hair. Her costume on this occasion
was a gown of white "silk, brocaded with gold, and a mantle
of the same material, bordered with ermine and fastened
across the breast with gold cords and tassels. A close-
fitting cap, formed of rich gems in a golden network,
encircled her head, and her hair fell loosely around her
shoulders.

The young queen was borne in an open litter, and four
of the new Knights of the Bath supported a rich canopy
over her head. She was preceded by four baronesses, riding
on gray horses, and Henry's Uncle Jasper, as grand steward.
Lord Stanley, now Earl of Derby, was high constable, and
the Earl of Oxford, Lord Chamberlain. The queen was
followed by her sister Cicely, who sat in an open chariot
with the Duchess of Bedford, and a long train of other
vehicles containing noble ladies, the rear being brought up
by six baronesses on horseback. The streets were all
decorated, and a chorus of children, dressed as angels,
sang the queen's praises as she passed along.

The following morning Elizabeth entered Westminster
Hall in a rich robe of purple velvet edged with ermine.
A coronet of gold, set with large pearls and colored gems,
encircled her brow. She stood under a canopy of state,
and then, followed by her attendants, proceeded to the
abbey. A strip of carpet over which she walked was cut
to pieces and distributed among the throng assembled to
gaze upon her, and so eager were they to possess them-
selves of this memento that several people were trampled
to death. King Henry and his mother took no part in the
coronation, but sat in a latticed box placed for their use,
and observed both the church ceremony and the banquet,

338 The Queens of England.

at which the queen presided, afterwards. From that time
she appeared in public with all the splendor of a Queen of
England.

[A.D. 1489.] In 1489 a little princess was born; she
was named Margaret after the king's mother, who presented
the infant with a silver box filled with gold pieces. At the
christening a play was performed before the royal family
at the palace.

[A.D. 1 49 1.] The second prince, who afterwards reigned
as Henry VIII., was born June' 28, 1491. He was always
remarkable for strength and robust health, but we shall
have more to say about him hereafter.

Queen Elizabeth was so generous, not only to her own
family, but to those of her subjects who brought her trifling
presents of early vegetables, fruit, or flowers, that she often
found herself in debt, and had to pawn her plate or jewels
to satisfy her creditors. But her own wants were limited,
and she managed her personal expenses with economy.

[A.D. 1495.] In 1495 the king and queen were in
great trouble on accoimt of the invasion of Perkin Warbeck,
who was married to one of Henry's nearest relatives.
This man was ah impostor, but so active in his movements,
appearing in quick succession in various parts of the
realm, that for seven long years there was danger of his
usurping the crown. At last, the battle of Blackheath
decided his cause ; for it was won by King Henry, and
Perkin was soon after captured. Henry did not wish to
shed the blood of this kinsman, but it became absolutely
necessary before peace could be restored. He was there-
fore hanged at Tyburn, November 16, 1499. The Earl of
Warwick had allowed himself to become so implicated in
Perkin's schemes that he too was condemned to death;
his execution took place on Tower Hill a fortnight later.

[A.D. 1499.] A dreadful plague broke out in England,

I503- Elizabeth of York. 339

the same year, and the king felt so alarmed for the safety
of his family that he took them to Calais, where they
resided for a couple of months. During that period two
marriages of great importance were agreed upon. One
was between the little Princess Mary, Henry's youngest
daughter, and Charles, son of the archduke, Philip of
Austria ; the other was between Arthur, Prince of Wales,
and Katharine of Arragon, but within five months. Prince
Arthur was dead. The king and queen were at Greenwich
Palace when the loss of their eldest son was made known
to them. Each tried to comfort the other and to bear the
sad bereavement with Christian fortitude. But Arthur had
been a promising youth, and it was long before his afflicted
mother could reconcile herself to his death.

The following January, 1502, the Princess Margaret was
betrothed to James VI. of Scotland. The ceremony was
performed at St. Paul's Cathedral and presided over h^
the queen, who afterwards led her daughter by the hand ic
a grand banquet prepared at the Bishop of London's Palace
Margaret, who was only a little over twelve years of age
remained in England to finish her education under hei
mother's care.

[A.D. 1503.] But on February 11, 1503, the gentle,
pious, lovely, and dearly-loved Queen Elizabeth expired,
suddenly, after a very short illness. This event cast a
gloom over the whole city ; the bells of St. Paul's and of
all the churches in London tolled dismally, and the utmost
sorrow was felt in every household.

The queen's body was embalmed and placed within the
Tower Chapel where it lay in state for twelve days. Then^
after mass had been celebrated, it was placed in a hearse
covered with black velvet, on which was a large white cross.
An image exactly representing the queen was placed in a
chair above. This image was decked out with royal robes,

340

The Queens of England.

crown, sceptre, jewels and every'thing just as Elizabeth had
appeared when living. Four women kneeled by the chair,
on top of the hearse, which was drawn by six horses, in
black velvet trappings, from the Tower to Westminster.
The horses were led by men robed in black ; eight ladies
of honor rode singly after the hearse, followed by the lord-

CHAPEL OF HENRY Vll.

mayor, other authorities, and a long train of citizens. At
every door in the city stood a man bearing a lighted torch,
and at various points groups of thirty-seven virgins, that
number corresponding with the queen's age, were stationed,
all dressed in white and holding lighted tapers. Torches
burned before all the churches, and bands of monks and

1503.

Elizabeth of York.

341

nuns, singing anthems, met the funeral procession as it
moved along. The Earl of Derby led a party of nobles,
who preceded the hearse into the churchyard of St.
Margaret, Westminster. The body was carried into the
abbey, where it was placed on a dais richly covered with
velvet drapery, on which the queen's motto : " Humble and
Reverent," was embroidered. All the lords and ladies in
attendance then retired to Westminster Palace and took
supper. Next morning the remains of Elizabeth were put
in the grave.

Henry VII. lived seven years after his wife's death, and
developed some very bad traits when her influence was
removed. He had never permitted her to have any voice
in the government of the realm, but in her gentle loving
manner she had prompted him to many a generous, sensible
action. He died in 1509, and was buried in the splendid
chapel at Westminster Abbey which bears his name.

CHAPTER XXII.

KATHARINE OF ARRAGON, FIRST QUEEN OF
HENRY VIII. (A.D. 1485-1536.)

Katharine of Arragon was born when her native land
was at the very height of its prosperity. Her parents were
Ferdinand and Isabella, the powerful and popular sover-
eigns, who had conquered nearly the whole of Spain.

Katharine's early infancy was passed in a camp where
Queen Isabella resided with her young family while her
anny besieged the town of Granada. This siege lasted
for several years, but the town was taken at last ; and when
Katharine was four years old she accompanied her parents
in their grand triumphal entry into Granada, where she lived
until she went to England.

Her residence was in the Alhambra, that gorgeous palace,
once the abode of the Moorish kings, always an object of
wonder and admiration, even to this ver}' day when it is
almost in ruins. Part of her time was passed in the cool,
shady bowers of the Generalife, the fairy palace which stood
on a mountain high above the Alhambra, in the midst of
luxuriant groves, fruit, flowers, arbors and hedges, such as
only a southern climate can produce. It was from this
home that Katharine took her device of the pomegranate,
which was used during her reign in England as a decora-
tion. This fruit was once a production of Granada, and
was worked on the coat-of-arms of the Moorish kings.

Queen Isabella was the most learned princess of her
time in Europe, and knew the importance of a good edu-
342

KATHARINE OF ARRAGON.

1485. Katharine of Arragon. 345

cation for her four daughters. Consequently she provided
them with the very best tutors she could find, and they
early became excellent Latin scholars. Katharine read
the Scriptures in that tongue, and throughout her whole
life continued to study it.

When she was sixteen years old Henry VII. of England
sent ambassadors to Spain to demand her hand in mar-
riage for his son, Prince Arthur. The union was agreed
upon, and Katharine sailed with four young ladies and
other attendants for Plymouth, where she was received by
a crowd of nobility and gentry, who entertained her all the
time she was amongst them with a variety of sports pecu-
liar to their country. As soon as her arrival was known
the king sent Lord Brook, steward of the royal palace, to
provide everything for her comfort. The Duchess of Nor-
folk and the Earl of Surrey went to meet her also, and the
former remained as her companion.

The following month the king himself set out for Ply-
mouth, but the roads were in such a wet, muddy condition
that it was several days before he reached East Hampstead,
where he met Prince Arthur, who did not until then know
of the arrival of his bride. Next morning they continued
their journey, but had not gone far when they were met by
a party of Spanish cavaliers on horseback, who stopped
them, and in a most solemn manner informed them that
they could not proceed further, because their Moorish cus-
toms forbade the royal bridegroom or his father to look
upon the face of the bride until she stood at the altar.

King Henr)' was amazed. He was quite willing to
observe all reasonable forms and ceremonies, but to his
English ideas this seemed thoroughly absurd, and he was
not willing to turn back.

He had come to a dead halt in the drenching rain on
that cold November morning, and felt rather cross at bav-

346 The Queens of England.

ing his progress thus interrupted. After a few moments
consideration he called his councillors about him, and
asked what he should do. A long discussion ensued, and
the conclusion was, " that the Spanish infanta, being now in
the heart of this realm^of which King Henry was master,
he might look at her if he liked." This suited the king
precisely, and, leaving his son behind, he rode rapidly for-
ward to the next town, where Katharine had arrived only a
couple of hours before. Her retinue were thrown into a
terrible state of perplexity when Henry made a request to
see her, and presented himself for that purpose at the very
door of her apartments. An archbishop, a bishop, and a
count stood guard, and informed the king " that the lady
infanta had retired to her chamber." But the more opposi-
tion he met with the more his curiosity was aroused, and
the more determined was he to see the bride. He declared
that " if she were even in bed he meant to see and speak
with her, for that was his mind and the whole intent of his
coming."

There was nothing more to be said, and further opposi-
tion might have given serious offence to the monarch,
therefore the infanta dressed herself and admitted him.
The interview must have been rather unsatisfactory, because
neither could speak the language of the other; however
somebody must have interpreted what was said, for King
Henry seemed much pleased.

He withdrew. to change his damp garments, and within
half an hour presented himself again at Katharine's door,
this time with the prince, who had followed him. In the
presence of several bishops and nobles the young people
went through the ceremony of betrothal, which was done
in Latin, and therefore understood by both. After supper
the king and Prince Arthur returned to the infanta's apart-
ments, where the evening was passed in music and dancing,

I50I' Katharine of Arragon. 349

interspersed with singing by the minstrels. Prince Arthur
could not join in the Spanish dances, but he knew the
English ones, and went through the figures with one of the
ladies of his own country.

Katharine continued her journey next day, and on her
arrival at Kingston was met by the Duke of Buckingham
on horseback, the Earl of Kent, Lord Henry Stafford, the
Abbot of Bury, and four hundred dukes and gentlemen, in
the Stafford livery of scarlet and black, who came to wel-
come her into the realm. She rested at that place all night,
and was escorted to Kennington Palace next day by Buck-
ingham and his train. There she stopped until the Span-
ish retinue, as well as all the nobility of England, could
make the necessary preparations for her grand entry to
London.

In the meantime King Henry went to meet his wife at
Richmond, and to tell her what he thought of their new
daughter-in-law. The royal couple then came down the
Thames, in a barge, with a party of ladies to welcome the
stranger.

Three days later the infanta entered the city by London
Bridge, riding on a large mule, according to the Spanish
custom. The Duke of York rode on her right and the
pope's ambassador on her left. She had on a broad, round
hat, the shape of those worn by cardinals, tied down at the
sides with a scarf of gold lace. Under this hat was a closely-
fitting red cap, and her long dark h^r streamed over her
shoulders. Her four Spanish damsels followed on mules,
each led by an English lady, dressed in cloth of gold and
ridin'- on' a small horse. After these came the whole grand
procession, and all advanced to Bishop's Palace.

[A.D. 1 501.] Four days later the marriage ceremony
was performed at St. Paul's Cathedral, on a platform six
feet high and large enough to hold eight persons. The

350

The Queens of England.

bride, who never entirely gave up her Spanish style of dress,
wore a closely-fitting cap of white silk, from which hung the
Spanish mantilla, embroidered with gold, pearls and pre-
cious stones, that almost concealed her figure. Her body
and sleeves were made very full, and she wore a large hoop
under her skirts.

Prince Arthur was dressed in white satin. The Arch-
bishop of Canterbury and nineteen bishops and abbots

LONDON BRIDGE.

were present at the ceremony. The king and queen sat in
a box that had been built for their use near the platform.
After the ceremony the bride and bridegroom followed the
churchmen to the high altar, where mass was celebrated.
Standing in the great doorway of the cathedral, Prince
Arthur endowed his bride with one-third of his property.
The princess was then led by her brother-in-law, young
Henry, to the Bishop's Palace of St. Paul's, where a ban-
quet was spread. The newly-wedded couple were served

1 50I . Katharine of A rragon. 351

on gold plate, ornamented with pearls and precious stones,
valued at twenty thousand pounds.

The following week a grand tournament was held in the
open space in front of Westminster Hall. There was a
stage erected for the royal party. On the right entered the
king and his lords ; on the left, the queen, the bride, and
their ladies, and took their seats on richly embroidered
cushions, under a canopy draped with cloth of gold. The
places, that were arranged one above another, in rows like
those in a circus, to form an enormous circle, were so
packed with people that only their heads could be seen.
Presently loud blasts from the trumpets announced the
arrival of the knights, who were borne into the arena under
fanciful canopies. The Earl of Essex sat in a pavilion
among trees, flowers, and rocks, with curious-looking ani-
mals climbing up the sides. A handsome young lady, fan-
tastically dressed, stood on a green hill above the earl.
The Marquis of Dorset appeared in a pavilion all draped
in gold, wearing a complete suit of armor. Lord William
Courtenay rode an enormous red dragon, led by a giant
carrying a tree in his hands. There were twenty or thirty
in all of these curiously-adorned knights, who marched
around the arena to the delight of the audience, and then
engaged in a tilt that caused many a bruise and scratch,
but no serious damage to anybody.

When evening came on the royal company withdrew to
Westminster Hall. At the upper end was a dais with
elevated seats for the king, queen, the bride and groom,
and the king's mother. All the ladies sat on the left side
and the gentlemen on the right, and the nobility, who were
not engaged in the performance or ballets that followed,
took their places on the king's side of the hall according
to their rank. When a couple desired to dance between the
entrances of the regular performers, the gentleman would

352 The Queens of England.

advance to the front of the dais from his side, the lady
would do the same from hers, and after a few minutes'
dancing return to their respective places. The first pageant
was a full-rigged ship drawn in on wheels. The mariners
performed their duties as though they were really at sea,
and used only seafaring terms. Next came a castle all
lighted up inside, eight young women appearing at the
windows handsomely attired in the newest styles. At the
top window of the castle sat a lady in Spanish costume
representing Katharine of Arragon. The princess must
have been amused when she saw her double, who sat up
quite haughtily, while two gentlemen courted her and sought
in every possible way to gain her favor. For a while she
treated their attentions with disdain, but at last, as in all
ballets, matters took a favorable turn ; the ladies came out
of the castle, were joined by the sailors from the ship, and
the whole party danced a grand set of exceedingly pretty
figures, and then disappeared into the castle again. This
structure was drawn by marvellous gold and silver lions
harnessed with massive gold chains. But we must explain
what these beasts really were. In each one were two men,
one in the fore and the other in the hind quarters, so com-
pletely hidden that nothing appeared of them but their legs.
whJrh were made to look like those of the real lions. Then
Prince Arthur danced with his aunt, the Princess Cicely,
Henry, Duke of York, with his sister Margaret, and
Katharine with one of her Spanish ladies. There wa»
considerable difference in the two styles of dancing, for the
English movements were quick and lively, while those of
the Spanish were slow and stately, resembling a minuet.
The king and queen were much pleased with these per-
formances of their children, and watched them with a
great deal of pride.

At a grand dinner given in Parliament Chamber on the

I50I.

Katharine of Arragon.

355

following Sunday, Katharine distributed the prizes won in
the tilt. To the Duke of Buckingham she gave a valuable
diamond ; to the Marquis of Dorset, a superb ruby, and to
the others, rings set with precious stones.

A week later the court went to Richmond, where, after

RICHMOND CHURCH.

mass on the first Sunday, they all assembled in the gardens
and played games of chess, backgammon, cards, and dice,
while some Spaniards entertained them with tumbling and
dancing. In the evening a huge rock was drawn by three
sea-horses into the grand hall, where the ladies and gentle-
men were assembled. On either side of the rock were mer-
maids made of shells, and inside of the figures were the

356 The Qjieens of England.

sweet-voiced children who sang in the king's chapel. These
could not be seen, but their harmony filled the air as the
rock was drawn slowly through the whole length of the hall.
When it reached the platform on which sat the royal family,
a large number of white doves flew out, and live rabbits ran
about the hall, causing great shouting and merriment.
King Henry closed the entertainment by making rich gifts
of plate to the lords and ladies from Spain, who then took
leave of their princess, as they were going back home.

Katharine looked very sad after they had left her, and
the king observing this sent word for her and her ladies to
join him in his library. There he showed them all the pretty
English and Latin books that he thought would please them,
laughed and chatted in a kind friendly manner with his
daughter-in-law, and then asked her to select some jewels
from a lot that he had ordered for her. After she had made
her choice, he distributed the rest among her ladies, and so
won Katharine's heart by his warm, affectionate treatment
that she ceased to feel depressed in her English home.

A few months later the princess went with her husband
to Wales, where they were to have a little court of their own
similar to the one at Westminster. Katharine performed
the journey on horseback, and when she felt fatigued she
rested on a litter, borne between two horses. This was
the only mode of travelling before turnpike roads were
made.

The Prince and Princess of Wales made themselves very
popular in their new home, but they did not stay there long,
for Arthur was taken suddenly ill, and died of the plague
the following April, 1502, just six months after his marriage.

[A.D. 1502.] The queen was sorely grieved at the sud-
den death of her eldest child, but she did not forget to
sympathize with the young widow left alone in a strange
land, the language of which had hardly become familiar to

I502. Katharine of Arragon. 357

her ear. She sent for her immediately, and had her brought
to London in a litter covered with black velvet and black
cloth that must have looked very like a hearse, and settled
her in a palace called Arragon House, where she spent
part of her widowhood. Her marriage portion consisted
of two hundred thousand crowns. Half the sum had been
paid, and her parents being unwilling to pay the other half,
requested that their daughter should be returned to them.
But Henry VII. wanted to get hold of the other half of his
daughter-in-law's portion, he therefore proposed a marriage
between her and his younger son Henry. This was ac-
cepted by the sovereigns of Spain, providing a dispensation
from the pope could be obtained. This was necessary on
account of the relationship.

Katharine seems to have been very unhappy at this time,
and wrote her father that she had no desire to marry ag%in,
adding, " that she did not wish him to consider her tastes
or wishes, but to act in all things as suited him best."

Such dutiful conduct excites our surprise when we con-
sider that she was the principal person concerned. It seems
quite natural that at the age of eighteen she should have
objected to a union with a boy five years younger, even
though he had not been so nearly related to her.

Notwithstanding her objections, two such diplomatists as
King Ferdinand and Henry VII. were pretty sure to
arrange matters to suit themselves, and about a year after
Katharine became a widow, she was betrothed to the young
prince. Six years elapsed before the marriage was
celebrated, during which period Henry VII. died, and his
son Henry ascended the throne. Immediately after this
event he assured the Spanish ambassador of his attachment
to Katharine, saying that he loved her better than any other
woman in the world.

There was a great deal of discussion among the church-

358 The Queens of England.

men on account of the relationship existing between Henry
and Katharine, but at last all difficulties were overcome
and they were married. A few days later the coronation
took place at Westminster.

[A.D. 15 lo.] On this occasion the streets of London
were as usual all decorated, and part of the way to the
abbey was lined with young maidens dressed in pure white,
bearing palms of white wax in their hands. They were
attended by priests swinging silver censers as the king and
queen passed by. Katharine was attired as a bride in
white embroidered satin-, her dark hair fell in rich pro-
fusion down her back, and on her head she wore a crown
set with rich jewels. She was seated in a litter covered
with white cloth of gold, borne by two white horses, and
was followed by all the noble ladies of England in little
ch^ots. After the coronation a grand banquet was spread
in Westminster Hall. The king and queen were served on
an elevated platform at the upper end of the hall, while
several ladies of high rank sat at Katharine's feet holding
her pocket-handkerchief, table-napkin, fan and purse. At
the end of a week the festivities came suddenly to an end
on account of the death of the king's grandmother. Then
a pestilence broke out in London, and" the court removed
to Richmond Place, where Henry planned all sorts of per-
formances, parties and masquerades, in which he enjoyed
taking part. Katharine did not care so much for that kind
of diversion, for she was naturally quiet and studious, and
felt more interested in practical employment.

At one of the Christmas festivals the king slyly left her
side during the progress of a tournament, and returned in
the disguise of a knight, astonishing all the company with
the grace and skill of his tilting. The applause he received
induced him to take part often in these exercises, and when
he would present himself before his wife in diiferent

I5IO.

Katharine of Arragon.

359

disguises she good-humoredly pretended to be very much
mystified. Once he entered her room with several nobles
dressed as Robin Hood and his men, and another time
when the foreign ambassadors were invited to dine at court
Henry conducted his wife to her throne, then suddenly dis-
appeared, and in a few minutes returned with the Earl

RICHMOND PALACE.

of Essex, both disguised as Turks, while other nobles
followed him in Russian, Persian and Moorish costumes,
the last having their faces blacked. The king's beautiful
sister, Mary, with several of the court ladies, danced a bal-
let in mask, which amused Katharine very much, particu-
larly as the princess was attired like an Ethiopian queen.
In all the decorations used on these occasions the pome-
granate was mingled with the roses of York and Lancaster,
and the Tudor device of the hawthorn with its scarlet
berries.

At the close of the year 1 510 the queen had a little boy,

360 The Queens of England.

and he was named Henr}'. The king was so much pleased
at this event that a grand tournament was given to cele-
brate it. In the evening a nobleman came to inform the
queen that there was a gold arbor full of ladies who
had prepared something for her entertainment. Katharine
answered very graciously "that both she and her ladies
would be happy to behold them and their pastimes."
Then a large curtain was drawn aside, and an arbor moved
forward. It had posts and pillars covered with gold and
tvi'ined with branches of hawthorn, roses and eglantine, all
made of satin and silk, the colors of the different flowers.
In the arbor were six beautiful young girls in white and
green satin dresses, covered with the letters H. and K. knit
together with gold lacing. Near the bower stood the king
himself, with five lords dressed in purple satin, likewise
covered with the gold letters H. and K. Then they
all danced before Katharine, and while they were thus
engaged a very different scene was going on at the other
end of the hall. The golden arbor that the ladies left
for the dance had been rolled back close to where a large
crowd of Londoners had gathered to see the grand doings
at court, as they always did in those days. They began to
finger the ornaments, and finally to pluck them off until
they had entirely stripped the bower. The chief steward
tried to prevent this destruction, but not wishing to disturb
the ballet by using violence he failed entirely. Meanwhile
the king finished his performance, and feeling in an excel-
lent humor at its success he called to the women in the
crowd to come and help themselves to the golden letters
from his dress and that of his company. Little did he im-
agine what would be the result of this order, for scarcely
was it given than the whole assembly rushed forward like a
mob, and seized not only on him but all his guests, helping
themselves to every glittering ornament that was in sight.

1514- Katharine of Arragon. 361

They even went so far as to take the jewels of the ladies,
and to strip the king of most of his fine clothing. One of
the gentlemen was left with nothing on but his flannels. It
was amazing what a clean sweep was made in a few
minutes of all the finery. At last the guards succeeded in
clearing the hall without bloodshed, and the king laughing
heartily handed his wife to the banquet in his own chamber,
where the court sat down in their tattered condition, treat-
ing the whole scramble as a frolic. No doubt the young
king had received a lesson by which he profited later.
A few weeks after his birth the young prince died, much
lamented by everybody at court.

The following year Henry invaded France in person,
leaving the queen not only with the reins of government
in her own hands, but making her besides captain of all his
forces, with the assistance of five nobles. During the
king's absence the Scots invaded his kingdom, but were re-
pulsed. It is remarkable that two of the greatest victories
gained over that nation were those of Neville's Cross and
Flodden Field, both fought under the management of
queens in the absence of their husbands.

After the battle at Neville's Cross Katharine went on a
pilgrimage to Walsingham shrine, and returned just in time
to welcome her husband, who took her by surprise at
Richmond, where there was a most loving meeting between
the royal couple. He had travelled through his realm in
disguise, therefore the queen had not been informed that
he was coming so soon.

[A.D. 15 14.] Henry had been victorious in France, and
the war ended there by the marriage of his beautiful young
sister Mary and Louis XII. Anne Boleyn, who was then
a young girl, went with the bride as her attendant.

Mary was in love with the Duke of Suffolk when she was
forced into this marriage with the King of France. In less

362 TJic Queens of England.

than three months the young husband died, and then the
duke, who was sent to France to take care of the widow
and her property, married her. Henry VIII. was very
angry at first at the sly way in which this love-affair had
been managed, but Katharine made peace between the
brother and sister, and invited the young couple to Green-
wich Palace, where she entertained them with a grand
festival.

On the first of May the king gave a party, which was
conducted in this way : Katharine, with the young bride
and all the court ladies, rode from the palace to Shooter's
Hill, where the king, with the archers of his body-guard, met
them, dressed like Robin Hood and his outlaws, and begged
that the royal party " would enter the good greenwood and
see how outlaws lived."

Katharine graciously consented, and was led to a rustic
bower, covered with hawthorn boughs and spring flowers,
where a fine breakfast of venison and other good things
was laid out. This lodge in the wilderness delighted all
the ladies, and a couple of hours were very pleasantly
passed in eating and chatting. On their return to Green-
wich they were met by a car, all decorated with natural
flowers and ribbons, and drawn by five horses. Each horse
was ridden by a fair damsel, dressed in gay colors, and in
the car, amidst garlands of flowers, stood lady May,
attended by the goddess Flora. As soon as the queen
appeared at the foot of the hill these young girls began a
hymn about the return of spring, and preceded the royal
party all the way home, singing as they moved along.

[A.D. 1520.] Queen Katharine had two royal visitors at
her palace. One was Queen Margaret, widow of James
IV. of Scotland, who took refuge with Henry VIII. from
the troubles in her own country ; the other was her nephew,
who afterwards became so illustrious as the Emperor

iSio. Katharine of Arragon. 365

Charles V. The latter spent several days with his aunt,
who entertained him royally, then proceeded with the Eng-
lish Court to that congress with the King and Queen of
France known on account of its splendor as the Field of
the Cloth of Gold. At that meeting the carpet beneath
Katharine's throne was all embroidered in pearls, and the
decorations of the camp were of corresponding magnifi-
cence.

At that time Katharine formed a warm friendship for
Queen Claude of France, surnamed the Good, a lady of
superior intellect and taste. Henry and King Francis also
became very much attached to each other, though that did
not prevent their fighting when an opportunity offered.

When Charles V. parted from his Aunt Katharine she
presented him with a beautiful English horse, and a saddle-
cloth, of gold tissue, bordered with precious stones. On
his return home, he often spoke of Katharine's happiness
in having married so grand a prince as Henry VHI.

While Queen Katharine was in power several improve-
ments were made in England, particularly in the cultivation
of fruit and flowers. During the wars some of the finest
trees had disappeared entirely, but Katharine had them
replanted, as well as salad, cabbage and carrots, which she
imported for that purpose from the Holland.

An old rhyme says : —

" Hops and turkeys, carps and beer,
Came to England all in one year."

We cannot help wondering why hops were cultivated,
because Henry VHI., who interfered in all the most trifling
concerns of his subjects, forbade them to put hops in their
ale. The turkeys were brought from North America by a
lieutenant in Sebastian Cabot's voyage of discovery.

Before giving an account of Katharine's wrongs and

366 The Queens of England.

sufferings, which began after she had been married about
ten years, let us see how both she and King Henry VIII.
are described by people who lived in their time,

Sebastiano Giustiniani, an Italian who lived in England,
says, writing in 1519 : —

" His majesty is about twenty-nine years of age, as hand-
some as nature could form him, — handsomer by far than
the King of France. He is exceedingly fair, and as well-
proportioned as possible. When he heard that the King
of France wore a beard he allowed his to grow also, which,
being somewhat red, has the appearance of being of gold.
He is an excellent musician and composer, an admirable
horseman and wrestler. He possesses a good knowledge
of the French, Latin, and Spanish languages, and is very
devout. On the days when he goes hunting he hears mass
three times, but on other days as often as five times. He
has vesper service every day in the queen's chamber. He
is uncommonly fond of the chase, and every time he attends
one he tires out eight or ten horses, stationed at different
places where he proposes to stop. When one is fatigued
he mounts another, and by the time he returns home they
are all used up. He takes great delight in bowling, and it
is the pleasantest sight in the world to see him engaged in
this exercise with his fair skin covered with a beautifully
fine shirt. Affable and benign, he offends none, and has
often said to his ambassadors that he wished every one were
as content with his condition as he was."

Katharine was then about thirty-four, but looked no older
than her husband, because he was a robust, burly man, while
she had a slender, stately figure. Her face was oval, fea-
tures regular, with a sweet, calm look, though rather heavy.
Her forehead was unusually high, and she had large, dark
eyes, and a bright brunette complexion. She usually wore
a five-cornered cap, bordered with rich gems, that stood up

1520. Katharine of Arragoft. 367

around her head like a crown, and came down the sides
of her face, covering the ears. From this cap hung the
black Spanish mantilla, and around her throat, waist and
wrists were clusters of rubies, linked together with strings
of pearls, pendants of the same from the belt, reaching
almost to her feet. In one of her portraits she is repre-
sented in a robe of dark-blue velvet, with a long train,
bordered with sable fur, straight sleeves, with ruffles
around the hand, loose hanging sleeves over them, and a
petticoat of gold-colored satin, that shows beneath the vel-
vet dress, raised on one side.

Katharine was very pious, self-denying, and almost a
nun in her performance of religious duties. She would
rise at different times of the night for prayers, and always
dressed for the day at five o'^clock in the morning. She
wore the habit of the St. Francis order of nuns beneath her
royal robes, and unlike the ladies of the present day, she
was often heard to say that she considered no part of her
time so much wasted as that passed in dressing and adorn-
ing herself.

She fasted on Fridays and Saturdays and on all the
saints' days, confessed every week, and received the
Eucharist every Sunday. For two hours after dinner one
of her attendants read books on religion to her.

Notwithstanding this devotion Katharine enjoyed lively
conversation, and often invited Sir Thomas More, whose
society gave her great pleasure, to her private suppers with
the king. She was fond of needle-work also, and left some
rich specimens of her skill, that were for a long time pre-
served in the Tower.

Although she took great interest in all English customs,
and tried to make her subjects forget that she was a for-
eigner, she never could fancy field-sports, though Henry
expressed great displeasure because she would not mount

368

The Queens of England.

a horse and hunt as Englishwomen did. For his sake she
pretended to like games, though she really had little taste
in that direction. Even after her misfortunes began, the
great Erasmus said to Henry : " Your noble wife spends
the time reading the sacred volume which other princesses
occupy with cards and dice." That renowned scholar
always held her up as an example to her sex, and dedicated
a very important work to her, called " Christian Matri-
mony."

HOUSE OF SIR THOMAS MORE.

Cardinal Wolsey occupied a prominent position in Eng-
land at this time, and he was a very good friend to Katharine
until she felt compelled to express her opinion of a certain
bad action of his, which was brought about in this way :
One day the Duke of Buckingham was holding the basin
for the king to wash his hands when the cardinal poked
his in also. The duke became very indignant at such
presumption, for he considered it beneath his dignity to
perform such an office for anybody but his sovereign ; he
therefore flung the water all over the cardinal's feet, where-
upon that worthy prelate scowled revengefully, and angrily

IS20. Katharine of Arragon. 369

threatened punishment. He carried it into effect, and suc-
ceeded in causing the execution of the duke on a charge
of treasonable sorcery.

Buckingham had been one of Katharine's earUest friends
in England, and she could not help remonstrating against
the injustice of his sentence. She even pleaded for him
with the king, but failed. Wolsey's opposition was too
strong, so Katharine revenged herself by openly censuring
his cruel conduct, for which he never forgave her.

The next year Charles V. visited his aunt again at Green-
wich Palace. He came really for the purpose of urging
the king to make war against France, though he pretended
that it was to engage himself to his little cousin, Princess
Mary, then only six years old.

Queen Katharine met him at the hall-door, with her
daughter by her side, and blessed him as he kneeled down
before her. He stayed in England six weeks, and the
result of his visit was more fighting in France.

Then Anne Boleyn returned home, and was appointed
maid of honor to Queen Katharine. She was a great
beauty, and such a belle at court that unhappily Henry fell
in love with her. But he did not make his feelings known
just then because the queen's health was very bad, and no
doubt he flattered himself that she might accommodate
him by dying, and thus spare him the trouble of a divorce.
However she grew better, and then, with Wolsey's assist-
ance, Henry began to make plans for ridding himself of
her. His first step was to complain to his confessor that
his conscience troubled him for having married his brother's
widow, but it seems strange that that inward monitor had
been silent for so many years. He set spies to watch
Katharine's actions, hoping, no doubt, that something might
be discovered to help his cause ; but he was disappointed,
and the queen was secretly informed of his intentions.

3 TO The Queens of England.

Naturally she was very indignant, and wanted to consult
her nephew, Charles V., as to what she ought to do. For
that purpose she sent a faithful servant, but he was stopped
on the way by one of Wolsey's agents.

She then expressed her intention of going to law about
the matter, and consulted her confessor, hoping that it
would be laid before the church. The poor, friendless
woman might have known that she could scarcely look for
justice in a land not her own against a popular sovereign
and his all-powerful adviser. She had an interview with
her husband, but he put her off with deceitful excuses and
fah- promises, and she was forced to await patiently what-
ever his pleasure might prompt.

In the meantime a pestilence broke out in London, and
several of the royal household died of it. This so alarmed
Henry that he made thirty-nine wills, confessed his sins
every day, and passed most of his time in penitence and
prayer, his only recreation being the mixing of medicines
and the compounding of plasters and ointments. He even
sent Anne Boleyn home to her relations. But no sooner
did the pestilence disappear than his jovial spirits returned,
and he began to write daily love-letters to his favorite.
Wolsey, to aid the king's divorce, had made the pope
believe that Katharine wished to retire from the world and
lead a religious life, and it is possible that he thought she
might be persuaded to do so.

[A.D. 1528.] She did not know of this deception until
Campeggio, the pope's legate, arrived in England in 1528.
Then, in order to disprove it, she adopted a different course
of conduct, became gay and lively, and encouraged all
sorts of diversions among her court ladies. She tried to
make herself popular with her subjects, too, by being more
gracious than before, and appearing oftener in public.
This behavior was turned against her by the king's council.

1528. Katharine of Arragon. 37 1

who were told that the queen was only gay because her
husband was sad, and that she was conspiring for his death
and that of his cardinal. Thereupon they advised Henry
to separate himself from her entirely, and to remove the
Princess Mary from her guardianship. This piece of
malice was a sting bitterer than death.

Katharine knew that Wolsey was her chief persecutor,
and did not hesitate to charge him with all her troubles as
well as with being an enemy to her nephew, Charles V.

That emperor was very much distressed when he heard
of the turn affairs had taken, and declared that if the pope
decided against his aunt he would not complain, but if not,
he would support her and her daughter as far as possible.

In May, 1 5 29, there was a solemn court held in the great
hall of the palace at Blackfriars, Wolsey and Campeggio
presiding. Each of the prelates was seated in a large
chair, covered with rich tapestry, near a long table. On
the right was a canopy with a massive chair for the king,
and on the left a similar one for the queen. Henry did
not appear at first, but Katharine entered the hall, attended
by four bishops and a train of court ladies, to say that she
would only accept the decision of the pope, because the
cardinals who were present were too prejudiced to be just.
She then left.

After several weeks of discussion the king and queen
were both summoned to appear in court. When the
crier called : " Henry, King of England, come into court,"
he answered distinctly, and standing up beneath his
canopy, spoke of the virtues of his wife and of his
unwillingness to part from her, excepting to soothe the
pangs of his conscience. Then Katharine was called.
She was already present, seated in her chair, and merely
rose to explain that the action of the court was illegal,
stating reasons why such was the case.

3/2 The Queens of England.

Her name was called again. Then she rose a second
time, and walked around the table the whole length of the
court, until she came to where the king sat. Kneeling
down before him, she made a most touching appeal,
begging him to take compassion on her, a stranger in his
land, and let her have some justice. She also requested
him to suspend the trial until she could hear from her
family in Spain and get their advice.

After she had finished her long address to the king, she
made a low bow, and with a dignified air slowly marched
out of court. As she moved away, her name was called
several times, whereupon the person on whose arm she
leaned said : " Madam, you are called back." " I hear it
well enough," she replied; "but on — on — go you on, for
this is no court wherein I can have justice."

Her appeal to the king had made such an impression on
all present that he made a long speech, lamenting " that
his conscience should urge the divorce of such a queen
who had ever been a devoted wife, full of gentleness and
virtue." The members of his council knew well that he
was not speaking the truth, but they did not dare to tell
him so. As Cardinal Wolsey was still a favorite, the king
closed his harangue by an assurance that he was in no way
to blame for the desired divorce.

A week later Katharine was summoned to court again,
but refused to obey, and with her own hand wrote an
appeal to the pope. The cardinals had done all they
could think of to get the queen to consent to a divorce,
and being at a loss how to proceed, they took a v-acation
of three months. At the expiration of that term the two
cardinals went to Bridewell, and requested a private
interview with Katharine. She received them courteously,
impressed upon them her forlorn situation in a foreign land,
deprived of counsel, and told them that she would be

1538.

Katharine of Arragon.

373

grateful if they would advise her how to act. She then
withdrew with them to a private room, where they remained
for nearly an hour in earnest conversation. She must have
argued her case well, for both the cardinals were won over
to her side, and would never say another word against her.
This was the only cause for offence that King Henry ever
had against Wolsey, who ceased, from that moment, to be
his favorite.

wolsey's tower.

When the court met again, the king was very angry to
hear that the question of his divorce must be referred to
the pope. He wanted it settled in his way and in England.
Shortly after, Wolsey had an interview with the king,
which proved his last.

The king and queen passed Christmas together at
Greenwich with the usual festivities, and seemed to be on
very good terms, he treating the Princess Mary very tenderly,
and showing Katharine the respect due the Queen of Eng-
land.

Henry had an object in this ; he wanted his wife to with-
draw her appeal from Rome, and let the matter be decided

374 ^'^^ Queens of England.

in England, but she refused. Then he got angry, put a
sudden stop to the court diversions, and retired to the
palace at Whitehall that he had just taken from Wolsey.

Later, he sent a message to the queen entreating her to
" quiet his conscience." She replied : " God grant my
husband a quiet conscience ; but I mean to abide by no
decision excepting that of Rome."

This answer put the king in a perfect fury. After the
festival of Trinity he accompanied the queen to Windsor,
but left in a few days, and sent her word to be out of the
castle before his return. " Go where I may," was the
reply of the forsaken queen, " I am his wife, and for him I
will pray ! " She immediately left Windsor Castle, and
never again beheld her husband or child. She went to
reside at Ampthill, whence she wrote her daughter letters
full of most excellent advice, always praying her to submit
to her father's will. Her reason for this was that she
wished the child to keep in the king's good graces, knowing
that he would some time or other acknowledge her rights.
Once, on hearing of Mary's illness, Katharine wrote to
Cromwell for permission to see her, but was cruelly
refused.

Finding at last that the decision at Rome was likely to
be against him, the king induced Dr. Cranmer, who had
just been made Archbishop of Canterbury, to conclude the
long agitated question of the divorce by granting it. At
the commencement of the following year he married Anne
Boleyn, and there were insurrections raised in many parts
of the kingdom on account of it.

Had Queen Katharine not been such a good woman she
might have given the king a great deal of trouble by head-
ing a party against him, particularly as the House of Com-
mons had requested him to take her back. At the end of
several months Cranmer succeeded in getting the divorce

1538. Katharine of Arragon. 375

settled ; but the sorrow and anxiety that poor Katharine
had suffered had~broken down her health, so that when
Lord Montjoy went to inform her that she was no longer
Queen of England, but dowager Princess of Wales, he
found her very ill in bed. She declared that she had been
crowned and anointed queen, and would be called by that
title as long as she lived, and no bribes or threats would
move her in the least. She forbade her servants to take
an oath to serve her as Princess of Wales, and many of
them were obliged to quit her service because they would
not disobey her. Those who remained were excused from
taking the oath at all.

Katharine always judged her rival in the most charitable
light, and seemed to think her an object of pity. Once
when one of her women cursed Anne Boleyn, because she
saw how troubled her mistress was, Katharine said : " Hold
your peace ! curse her not, but rather pray for her, for even
now is the time fast coming when you shall have reason to
pity her and lament her case."

Katharine had removed to Buckden, where she passed
her time in praying and deeds of charity, or embroidering
for the churches. After a while she regained her peace of
mind, and made herself greatly beloved by the country
people, who visited her frequently, and showed her the
deepest respect. Other messengers were sent to her from
Henr}', requesting her to call herself Prince Arthur's
widow, and to resign the title of queen. This made her
very angry, and she declared that she was the king's wife,
not his subject, and would be called queen until she died.
She was the only person in the realm who dared to defy
the king; she had lost his love, but not his esteem. Any-
body at court who was known to speak in Katharine's
favor was either locked up in the Tower or executed, and a
perfect reign of terror was the result. When she heard

3/6 The Queens of England.

how her friends had suffered on her account her health
grew worse, and as she was anxious to live for the sake oi
her daughter she sent a request to the king to appoint her
a residence nearer London. He named Fotheringay
Castle, a place that was notoriously unhealthy. But Kath.
arine absolutely refused to go there, and after a great deal
of opposition on the part of the king's agents she was
removed to Kimbolton Castle, deprived of many comforts
that her ill-health made necessary for her. One serious
cause of distress to Katharine was the imprisonment of her
two confessors, who, simply because they took sides with
her, were subjected to the most cruel torments.

[A.D. 1536.] By the end of the year the queen was on
her death-bed. When she knew her end was approaching
she sent an entreaty to Henry that she might be permitted
to see her child and give her a blessing. It was refused.
A few days before she expired Katharine called one of her
maids to her bedside and, dictated a farewell letter to the
king, in which she pardons him for all the misery he
has caused her, and prays that God may also pardon him.
She commends their daughter Mary to his care, and begs
him to be a good father to her. And in conclusion she re-
quests marriage portions for her three maids, and a year's
extra pay for all her other servants lest they should be un'
provided for. Henry shed tears on reading the letter, and
sent Eustachio, the Spanish ambassador, to attend Katha-
rine's death-bed. He and Lady Willoughby, the friend and
countrywoman of the queen, who hastened to her at the
last, were the only persons present when she passed away.
In her will she left a few legacies, but her income had been
so cut down during the last few years of her existence that
she had not much to dispose of. She mentions her dresses
that Henry kept when she was so brutally turned away
from his palace, and begs that they be used for church

1536. Katharine of Arragon. 377

ornaments. She was buried at Peterborough Abbey, and
for several years a canopy covered with a black velvet
cloth, on which was embroidered a large silver cross and
the Spanish coat-of-arms, stood over the grave.

Henry had a solemn service at Greenwich on the day of
Katharine's burial, at which he appeared with his attend-
ants in deep mourning, and commanded all his court to do
the same. Anne Boleyn dressed herself and all her ladies
in yellow instead, and heartlessly laughed over the death
of the queen. "I am grieved," she said, "not because
she is dead, but for the vaunting of the good end she
made." She had reason to speak so, for nothing was
talked of but the Christian death-bed of Katharine, and
many books and papers were written in her praise.

A short time after her burial some of her friends ventured
to suggest to the king that a monument ought to be erected
to her memory. He answered : " That he would have to
her memory one of the goodliest monuments in Christen-
dom." This was the beautiful abbey church of Peter-
borough, for when Henry VIII. caused the destruction of
all the convents and monasteries in England he spared that
one because it contained Queen Katharine's remains.
Through all her bitter trials no enemy was successful in
tarnishing Katharine of Arragon's good name, but Shak-
speare is the only writer who has properly appreciated her
moral worth.

BEHEADING BLOCK AND AXE.

CHAPTER XXIII.

ANNE BOLEYN, SECOND QUEEN OF HENRY VIII.
(A.D. 1501-1536.)

Anne Boleyn was one of the beauties of the court of
Katharine of Arragon, and was particularly attractive to
the king on account of her wit and her fondness for pa-
geants and masquerades, in which she took a leading part.
Henry performed at these entertainments, also ; thus these
two were often thrown together, and the lady's vanity and
ambition were flattered by the attentions he paid her.

She was an Englishwoman by birth, though of French
descent on her father's side. Her mother died when she
was only eleven years old, and she was taken charge of by
a French governess called Simonette. She was carefully
educated, and excelled in music and needlework. Besides,
she wrote both French and English letters to her father
when he was away, and that was an accomplishment very
rare among ladies of the reign of Henry VHI.

[A. D. 15 14.] It was probably on account of her superior
knowledge that she was selected to go with the young
Princess Mary to France when she married Louis XII., and
her knowledge of the language must have been of great ser-
vice to the young girl, who could speak only English. They
had a very stormy voyage to Boulogne, and had to go ashore
in little boats at the risk of their lives. It was rather trying
to the Princess Mary and her four maids of honor to have
to appear in their drenched garments before all the French
nobles who had assembled on the beach to receive them.

ANNK BOLEYN.

1 5 14- Katharine of Arragon. 381

But they soon had a chance of showing off their beauty to
advantage, for when within four miles of Abbeville they
mounted white horses, and with thirty other ladies who
joined the procession, rode into the town. Mary wore a
superb embroidered robe, and her ladies' dresses were of
crimson velvet, which must have been particularly becoming
to the warm, brunette complexion and sparkling black eyes
of Anne Boleyn.

When the King of France died, and Mary went back to
England, Anne did not accompany her, but entered the
service of Queen Claude, wife of Francis I.

This queen was a most excellent woman, and exercised
a wholesome influence over her maids of honor. They went
regularly with her to mass, attended her when she appeared
in public, and spent part of every day in her society reading,
embroidering, and weaving. The strict rules of this sober-
minded queen were rather irksome to the lively English
maid of honor, for she was fond of all sorts of games,
music, and dancing, and is said to have invented many new
figures and steps which she performed with much grace
and agility. Another of her gifts was a remarkably sweet
voice, both in singing and speaking. While at the French
court her costume was a cap of velvet, trimmed in points,
a little gold bell hanging from each point; a vest of the
same material with silver stars, a jacket of watered silk with
large hanging sleeves that almost concealed her hands, and
a skirt to match. Her feet were encased in blue velvet
slippers, with a strap across the instep, fastened with a dia-
mond star. Her hair fell in ringlets about her shoulders.
Of course she dressed in this manner only when she was very
young ; later, when she lived in England, her costumes were
very different. She had one serious defect which, however,
she managed to conceal with her long sleeves. It was a
deformity of the little finger of the left hand which some
chroniclers say was divided and formed two fingers.

382 The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1522.] She was about twenty years old when
she returned to England and attached herself to the house-
hold of Katharine.

The maids of honor dined at mess in those days like
officers of the army or navy of the present time, and were
plentifully served with all the good food the markets
afforded, besides an ample supply of ale and wine. Each
maid of honor was allowed a servant and a spaniel, and
those who were daughters of peers could have stabling for
horses and carriages besides.

There was a young man at court named Lord Henry
Percy, the eldest son of the Duke of Northumberland,
whose duty it was to attend Cardinal Wolsey to the palace
daily ; but while that prelate held council with the king,
Lord Henry would pass the time with the court ladies.
The result of these visits was a love affair between him
and the fair Anne Boleyn. But the king had made up his
mind to marry the young maid of honor himself as soon as
he could get a divorce from his wife, consequently he com-
plained to the cardinal, and told him that he must break
off the match at once, because he had planned a marriage
for Anne with another person. The cardinal sent for Percy
and took him to task for thinking to unite himself to any-
body without first consulting his father and the king. The
young man expressed his regret at having displeased the
king, but declared that he could not give up his lady-love.
Thereupon Wolsey swore that he should be forced to do so,
adding : " I will send for your father out of the North, and
he and we shall take this matter in hand ; in the meantime
I charge thee to go no more into her company to arouse
the king's indignation." With these words he arose and
went into his own room.

In answer to the king's summons the Earl of Northum-
berland did appear with as little delay as possible. He was

1522. Anne Boleyn. 383

an extremely proud, cold, narrow-minded man, who wanted
his son to marry a womaai at least his equal in rank and
wealth ; therefore at the conclusion of his secret interview
with the cardinal he rated Percy soundly, and applied to
him the most abusive and insulting names he could think
of. He finished his long lecture by telling him that he
did not mean to make him his heir, because he had other
boys who, he trusted, would prove wiser men, and he
would choose one of them for his successor.

Percy was then banished from court, and forced to
marry Mary Talbot, a daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury,
with whom he was very unhappy. If only he had been
strong enough to hold out in his love for Anne a little
while longer he might have been spared a great deal of
misery, for his father died in less than three years after
his forced marriage, and he became Earl of Northumber-
land.

To punish Anne for loving Percy, the king banished
her from court and sent her home to her father's house.
She laid the whole blame on Wolsey, and was so angry
with him as to declare she would be revenged on him.
He could never gain favor with her after that. She lived
at Hever Castle, with her father and stepmother, and was
very unhappy on account of the great disappointment she
had suffered.

After a time the king made an unexpected visit at the
castle, but Anne pretended to be ill, and would not leave
her room all the time he was there. But the tyrant was
bound to have everything to suit himself, so he began to
draw her family to court by giving them important offices,
and advanced her father to the peerage under the title of
Viscount Rochford. Still Anne did not return, and the
king wrote her several letters urging her to do so. She
dared not show him how angry she was because he had

384 The Queens of England.

broken off her engagement with Percy, but she was treas-
uring up a store of vengeance against the cardinal, who
had been his tool, that she hoped some day to visit upon
his head. She had been away from court just four years
when she returned, and Wolsey's enemies were glad to
be able to count on her influence to crush him.

A short time after he was sent on an embassy to France,
and it was during his absence that Anne gained a great
deal of influence over the king. Ambition had entered
her head, and seeing that Henry admired her, she deter-
mined to share his throne as soon as his wife could be
got out of the way. He had asked her to marry him,
and only awaited the settlement of the divorce, which was
a long and tedious affair.

Anne Boleyn was soon living in Suffolk House, which
the king had secured for her, and there she had a regular
court of her own, with her ladies-in-waiting, her train-bearer,
and her chaplains, quite independent of the queen.

The first introduction of Tindal's translation of the
Scriptures was made w^iile Anne was so powerful. Among
her ladies was one called Mistress Gaynsford, who had a
lover, also employed at Suffolk House, named George Zouch.
One day the young lady was deeply interested in a book,
from which she would not raise her eyes, even to speak to
George, who tried several times to make her listen to him,
At last he became very angry and snatched the book out of
her hand. It proved to be the translation of Tindal, that
had been privately presented by one of the Reformers to
Anne Boleyn. Now, this work had been proscribed by
Cardinal Wolsey, who was not in favor of any reforms in
religion, and kept secret from the king. Mistress Gayns-
ford knew this perfectly well, and was so frightened at
being discovered with it that she begged and implored
her lover to return it to her, but merely to tease her,

1522. Anne Boleyn. 387

he ran off with it. The next time he went to the
King's chapel, with the other courtiers, he took it into his
head to read the identical book he had taken from his lady-
love, and became so absorbed in it that the service was
concluded without his knowing it. The dean of the chapel
wondered what George could be reading with so much
interest, and asked to have a look at the volume. As soon
as he saw what it was he carried it to Cardinal Wolsey.
Meantime, Anne had asked for it, and when she heard into
whose hands it had fallen, she said : " Well, it shall be the
dearest book that ever dean or cardinal detained." Then
she went to the king, and not only succeeded in persuading
him to get the book back for her, but made him read it.

This beautiful favorite continued to hate Cardinal Wol-
sey more and more, and was determined that Henry should
show him no favors if she could help it. Her mind was
constantly busy laying plans to keep them apart, and to put
the cardinal in an unfavorable light, though she used the
most flattering terms both in speaking and writing to him.
This deception she continued until he was won over to
Queen Katharine's cause, when she declared her hostility
openly, and she was a woman who would stop at nothing
that would gratify her thirst for revenge. She was con-
stantly poisoning the king's mind against him, yet the old
friendship would crop out from time to time, and when the
cardinal was seized with the pestilence Dr. Butts, the king's
physician, was sent to attend him.

" Have you seen yonder man ? " asked King Henry of
the doctor. "Yes," was the reply; "and if you will have
him dead, I warrant you that if he receive not some com-
fort from you he will be dead within four days."

" God forbid !" cried the king, " I would not lose him
for twenty thousand pounds. I pray you go to him, and
do you care for him."

388

The Queens of England.

"Then must your grace send him some comfortable
message," said Dr. Butts.

" Tell him that I am not offended with him in my heart
for anything, and bid him be of good comfort," returned
the king, handing the doctor a ruby ring with his own
image carved thereon, and requesting him to carry it to the
patient. He desired Anne Boleyn to send some token of

WHITEHALL, WOLSEY'S PALACE, WHERE HENRY VIII. FIRST MET
ANNE BOLEYN.

regard also, and she handed the doctor a gold tablet that
hung at her side, adding a loving message, of which she
did not mean a word. Wolsey raised himself in his bed
when the presents were shown to him, and thanked the
doctor joyfully for the comfort he had brought. At
the end of four days he was well again. But he was too
near the court for the comfort or ease of his enemies, so

1522. Anne Boleyn. 389

the Duke of Norfolk, Anne's uncle, sent him wo^d through
Cromwell " that if he did not instantly depart for the
north he would tear him with his teeth." He did go as far
as Cawood, near York, but Anne never ceased her perse-
cutions until she had him arrested for high treason, and
employed her early lover Percy to carry him the warrant.
No doubt this was done to remind the cardinal of her first
cause of hatred towards him. He was in prison only
twenty-five days when he obtained his release.

At this time the Duke of Norfolk, Anne's uncle, was
president of the cabinet, while the Duke of Suffolk, her
father, Sir Thomas More, Fitzwilliam, and Stephen
Gardiner conducted the affairs of the realm, but she was
the ruling power that influenced them all. She kept up
her court with great splendor, and spent money most
extravagantly. Still she could not marry the king until
Cromwell's bold stroke that separated England from the
power of the pope enabled her to do so.

Then poor Queen Katharine was driven away from
Windsor Castle, and the king created Anne Boleyn
Marchioness of Pembroke, with a pension of ^1000 per
annum. This ceremo^iy was performed with great pomp.
The king was seated on his throne in the presence chamber
at Windsor, surrounded by his councillors and a number of
peers. Anne Boleyn entered, followed by a long train of
courtiers, and lords and ladies of the nobility. Lady Mary
carried on her left arm a robe of state made of crimson
velvet, lined and trimmed with ermine, and in her right
hand a coronet of gold. Anne wore a jacket of red velvet
with short sleeves, her hair hanging loosely about her
shoulders. She courtesied three times before reaching the
throne, then kneeled down at the king's feet. After that
the charter was read aloud, and the king himself placed the
mantle on the shoulders of the new marchioness and

390

The Queens of England.

the coronet on her head. She thanked the sovereign
humbly, and withdrew amidst the sounding of trumpets.
Anne Boleyn's tastes were much more in harmony with
those of the king than Katharine's had been, for she was
fond of hunting and all games of cards and dice. She was
a lucky gamester as a rule, but Henrj^'s losses were
perfectly enormous, and formed quite an important item in
his private expenses.

ANNE boleyn's CHAJIBER AT HEVER CASTLE.

The exact time or place of the marriage between Henry
VIII. and Anne Boleyn is not known. It was kept secret
because it was so unpopular in England, but as soon as the
ceremony was performed Viscount Rochford was sent to
France to announce the event to Francis I. When the
secret leaked out Cranmer publicly announced King
Henr\-'s divorce from Queen Katharine and his marriage
to Anne Boleyn, who then began to appear in state.

[A.D. 1534.] Early in May, 1534, the king notified the

1522. Anne Boleyn. 391

lord-mayor that the coronation of Queen Anne would take
place at Westminster on Whitsunday, and requested him to
conduct her grace from Greenwich to the Tower by water
a few days before. On the 19th of May the river Thames
presented a most festive appearance. In obedience to the
royal order a barge had been decorated and fitted up for
Anne Boleyn 's use in a most gorgeous style. The lord-
mayor embarked in this, and fifty others followed in
his train, one carrying a band of music, while the others
were filled with all the great men of London dressed
in scarlet, many of them wearing heavy gold chains about
their necks, and others their order of knighthood. Hun-
dreds of little row-boats were moving about on the water
besides, for every one who could procure any sort of a tug
accompanied the chief of the city to Greenwich, or rested
on their oars in the best positions they could find to get a
sight of the new queen. On the deck of the royal barge
was a tremendous dragon, surrounded by other monsters
that were from time to time made to vomit forth fire by
concealed artillerymen to the delight and terror of the dif-
ferent boats that floated near. On one barge sat a score
of young ladies amidst festoons of red and white roses
arranged on branches that formed a canopy, at the summit
of which sat a white falcon crowned, holding a sceptre in
one foot, and Anne Boleyn's motto " Me and Mine " hang-
ing on his breast. These young ladies sang the queen's
praises in a chorus as they glided over the water. All the
barges were fitted up with gay flags, flowers and banners.
Having reached Greenwich Palace they anchored, the
band performing different pieces of music, and the chorus
of ladies singing until three o'clock, when Anne appeared
superbly dressed and attended by her ladies. She entered
her barge, and the gay flotilla moved down the river again
amidst music, cheering, and the sounding of trumpets until

392 The Queens of England.

it reached the Tower, when a marvellous peal of guns
was shot off. The lord-chamberlain received the queen
and conducted her to the king, who kissed her tenderly.
The whole evening the barges hovered near the Tower,
and from them was a display of brilliant fireworks, while
crowds of people, stood to witness them on the neighboring
wharves and bridges.

How different were the feelings of the fair Anne within
that self-same fortress only two short years later. On the
eve of the coronation, according to the usual custom, the
queen was conducted through the city of London in grand
procession. All the streets through which she passed were
decorated. The lord-mayor received her at the Tower
gate. He wore a crimson velvet gown with a gold collar.
First in the procession came the French ambassador with
his retinue in blue and yellow velvet, then the judges, next
the newly-made Knights of the Bath in violet gowns with
hoods lined and trimmed with white fur. After them came
the abbots, then the nobility and the bishops. The Arch-
bishop of York rode with the ambassador of Venice, and
Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, with the French
ambassador. Then followed two esquires wearing the
coronet of Normandy and Aquitaine, the lord-mayor with
his mace and garter, several more knights and nobles.
Close behind them was an open litter drawn by two white
horses led by footmen dressed in white damask. In this
litter sat the bright object of the parade in a jacket of
silver tissue, mantle of the same lined with ermine, her
dark hair falling in pretty contrast over her shoulders. A
band of precious stones encircled her head, and above her
was held by four knights on foot a canopy covered with
cloth of cold.

The master of the horse led the queen's own riding ani-
mal, bearing a rich side-saddle with trappings of cloth of

1534-

Anne Boleyn.

393

gold that reached nearly to the ground. Seven ladies on
horseback, dressed in crimson velvet, followed ; then came
two chariots, in one of which sat the old Duchess of Nor-
folk with the Marchioness of Dorset, and in the other four
ladies of the bed-chamber. Fourteen more ladies with their
waiting maids came next, and the guard brought up the
rear.

At Fenchurch street was a pageant of children dressed
up to represent different kinds of merchants, who welcomed
the queen both in French
and English, the whole
procession halting for
that purpose. At a cor-
ner of another street was
an enormous fountain
that poured forth fine
Rhenish wine all day
long, of which anybody
could drink just as much
as he chose. One of the
pageants was a white fal-
con similar to the one on -
the barge, with this dif- Watergate, tower.

ference : it sat uncrowned amidst red and white roses,
and when the queen came opposite it, an angel flew down,
accompanied by soft music, and placed a crown of gold on
its head. A fountain of red wine flowed at another comer,
and the three Graces stood above it on a throne, before
which sat a poet who recited verses and presented the
queen with appropriate gifts from Faith, Hope and Charity.
The city recorder handed the queen a purse containing
a thousand marks in gold, which she graciously received with
thanks. At Cheapside was a rich pageant from which pro-
ceeded music and singing, while Pallas, Venus, and Juno

394 1^^^ Queens of England.

held up their apples of gold containing wisdom, riches, and
felicity, which they presented to the queen. Over the gate
of St. Paul's was a banner with this inscription in Latin :
*' Proceed, Queen Anne, and reign prosperously."
. On a scaffold near by were two hundred children, all
beautifully dressed, who recited verses, and so after passing
several other pageants and fountains of red and white wine,
the queen arrived at Westminster. The palace was richly
decorated within and without. She rode to the very middle
of the hall, where she was assisted to alight from her litter,
and led up the high dais, where she took her seat under
the canopy of state. At her left side stood a cabinet with
ten shelves filled with rich and costly cups and goblets of
gold. After partaking of wine, cake, and sugar-plums, which
were handed to her ladies also, she withdrew to change her
dress, and probably to rest, for all the parading and sight-
seeing of the past several hours must have been rather
fatiguing.

The next day was the one that Anne had looked forward
to for many years ; the one that was to place her on the
throne of England. It was the ist of July, and at a little
after eight o'clock on that bright summer morning she stood
under her canopy of state in a purple velvet mantle lined
with ermine, a band of rubies encircling her brow. There
was the usual procession for such occasions, and the queen
was conducted to the high altar in Westminster Abbey,
where she prostrated herself while Cranmer recited part of
the service. Then he anointed her on the head and breast,
placed the crown on her head, and handed her the sceptre,
while the choir sang the Te Deum. She returned to her
seat between the high altar and the choir, where she
remained to the end of the mass, when her father led her
to her private room off Westminster Hall to wait till the
banquet was prepared. Then all the great earls stood in

1534* Anne Boleyn. ,395

gorgeous attire prepared to wait on the queen in different
capacities, the Duke of Suffolk as high steward, assisted
by Lord William Howard, the Earl of Sussex as carver, the
Earl of Arundel as chief butler, and so on.

When all was ready, the queen entered the hall with her
canopy borne over her, washed her hands in the perfumed
water poured over them by Sir Thomas Wyatt, and took
her seat at the table, the Countesses of Oxford and Worces-
ter standing on either side of her chair, while two gentle-
women sat at her feet. All the tables in the hall were
beautifully laid and tastefully decorated, and there was music
all through the meal. The king took no part in this ceremony
at all, but remained shut up in the cloister of St. Stephen's
a part of the abbey, whence he could overlook all the pro-
ceedings without being seen himself. During the dinner
the Duke of Suffolk and Lord William Howard rode up and
down the hall, laughing and chatting with the lords and
ladies, and when it was over commanded them to remain
in their places until the queen had washed her hands.
She arose and stood in the middle of the hall, while the
Earl of Sussex brought her some sweetmeats. Then the
lord-mayor brought her a golden cup filled with wine.
After she had drunk, she presented him the cup and walked
towards the door of her room under her canopy. Before
disappearing, she turned and presented the gold bells,
canopy, and all its decorations to the barons who had car-
ried it.

On the following day there were jousts before the king
and queen in the tilt-yard. But the pope did not approve
of this second marriage, and so expelled the royal couple
from the church ; and Henry's cousin Cardinal Pole, wrote
him letters of reproach, calling Anne " Jezebel," " Sorcer-
ess," and many other horrible names. Nevertheless, the
king treated her with all the dignity of her station, and had

396 The Queens of England.

her initial A joined with his own on all the gold and
silver coins that were struck after their marriage. Henry
VIII. was the first and last monarch of England who ever
paid his wife that compliment.

Sir Thomas More was one of Anne's special enemies,
because he remained true in his friendship for Queen
Katherine to the day of her death. When his daughter
visited him in the Tower he asked her " how Queen Anne
did?"

" Never better," she replied : " there is nothing else at
court but dancing and sporting."

" Never better ! " said he, " alas ! Meg, alas ! it pitieth
me to think into what misery, poor soul, she will shortly
come. These dances of hers will prove such dances that
she will spurn our heads off like foot-balls, but it will not
be long ere her head will dance the like dance." Her
tragical end proves the truth of that poet's prophetic
words.

When that great and good man was executed, the
announcement of it was made to Henry while he happened
to be playing cards with Anne. " Thou art the cause of
this man's death," he cried, looking at her angrily, and
rising from the table. He then shut himself up in his
room, deeply grieved.

[A.D. 1533.] In 1533 Anne had a little daughter born,
who afterwards became the renowned Queen Elizabeth.
The opposition her marriage had met with from Rome
caused Anne to side with the Reformation party, though
she always continued a Catholic at heart, and observed all
the ceremonies of that church. It is probable that she
took no part in the cruelty that Henry exercised over the
pious reformers, but it is certain that she made no effort to
prevent it; for had she done so, she was still powerful
enough to have succeeded. She had enjoyed one triumph

1533-

Anne Boleyn.

397

after another, but when she reached the very summit of her
greatness, no doubt she found that her path had been more
thickly strewn with thorns than roses, and that in reading
the Scriptures she felt the force of the text, which says :
" What is a man profited if he gain the whole world and
lose his own soul ? " She became grave and serious, and
spent more time at needlework with her ladies, whom she
assisted in making clothing which she distributed among
the poor.

HAMPTON COURT.

Probably this change was due to the influence of the
reformer, Hugh Latimer, whom she rescued from prison,
where he had been sent by the bishop of London ; for it
was after he preached to her and pointed out her duty
that she so generously distributed alms and even paid for
the education of promising lads who were likely to devote
themselves to the church. She must often have felt that

398 The Queens of England.

her position on the throne of England was not very secure,
for as her capricious husband had behaved towards his
first wife might he not behave towards her also ?

When the news of Katharine's death was brought to her
she exclaimed : " Now I am indeed a queen ! " But it was
not long before she was suffering all the bitter pangs that
the good queen over whose death she rejoiced had endured.

Henry had grown tired of her, and was carrying on a
flirtation with the beautiful Jane Seymour, one of her attend-
ants. And so, under one pretext or another, her friends
were either beheaded or locked up in the Tower.

At last her turn came, and just as she had finished her
dinner, on the 2d of May, the Duke of Norfolk, with Crom-
well and other lords of the council entered, while Sir Wil-
liam Kingston, lieutenant of the Tower, stood in the door-
way.

Anne asked " why they had come ? " They replied :
" That they came by the king's command to conduct her
to the Tower, there to abide during his highness' pleasure."

" If it be his majesty's pleasure I am ready to obey,"
she said, going with them to her barge without waiting to
make the least change in her garments. Arriving at the
Tower, she was placed in the apartment she had occupied
on the night before her coronation. Her attendants were
two enemies, who were particularly disagreeable to her —
Lady Boleyn and Mrs. Cosyns. These two women never
left her, night or day, for they slept on a pallet at the foot
of her bed, and reported every word she uttered. They
made all sorts of impertinent remarks to her, and kept
constantly annoying her with questions by which they hoped
to prove something against her.

The poor queen was so affected by her close imprison-
ment that at times she seemed to have lost her reason.
She wrote a touching letter to the king, appealing to his

1533' Anne Boleyn. 399

mercy, but he took not the slightest notice of it, and just
one week after she was sent to prison a charge of high
treason was made by the grand jury of Westminster against
Anne Boleyn, her brother, and four of her best friends.

The friends were condemned to death, as almost every-
body was in Henry VIIL's reign who was brought to trial
for high treason, though sometimes they were not even tried
at all.

Twenty-six " lords' triers," from the body of nobles in
England were selected to try Lord Rochford, Anne's
brother; and, although he defended himself with great
spirit and eloquence, and many of the judges sided with
him, he was found guilty.

After his removal, Anne, Queen of England, was called
into court by an usher.

She appeared immediately, and took her stand " with the
true dignity of a queen, courtesying to her judges without
any sign of fear."

The charges were read, and she pleaded " Not guilty,"
but the trial was continued for a long time, and ended by
a verdict of guilty. It was her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk,
who presided at this trial, and he pronounced her sentence.
She was condemned to be burnt or beheaded, at the king's
pleasure. Anne Boleyn heard this dreadful doom without
changing color, but when her stern kinsman had ended,
she clasped her hands and raising her eyes to Heaven
exclaimed : " O Father ! O Creator ! Thou who art the way
the life, and the truth, knowest whether I have deserved
this death."

She then turned to her judges and proclaimed her inno-
cence of every charge made against her, closing her remarks
with : " Think not I say this in the hope of prolonging my life.
God has taught me how to die, and he will strengthen my
faith. As for my brother and those others who are unjustly

400 The Queens of England.

condemned, I would willingly suffer many deaths to deliver
them ; but since I see it so pleases the king I shall willingly
accompany them to death, with this assurance, that I shall
lead an endless life with them in peace." With a composed
air, she rose, made a parting salutation to her judges, and
left the court.

The 19th of May was the day appointed for her execu-
tion, and the interval was passed in prayer and confession,
receiving the sacraments of the church, and other prepara-
tions for death.

It was the king's pleasure that she should be beheaded
in the grounds of the Tower, and that no strangers should
be admitted. A headsman from Calais was brought over
to do the horrible deed, because he was considered par-
ticularly expert. Anne Boleyn's fate had had no pre-
cedent in English history, for even in the Norman reigns
of terror woman's life had been held sacred, and the most
merciless of the Plantagenet sovereigns had been too manly
to butcher ladies. But the age of chivalry was over, and
Henry VIII. was the first sovereign who sent queens and
princesses to the block, without justice or mercy.

The unfortunate queen was duly informed of her fate ;
her mournful experience had shown her the vanity and
vexation of flattery. Beauty, wealth, genius, pleasure,
power, royalty, had all been hers, and whither had they
led her ?

She had not condescended to implore the mercy of the
king, for she knew his pitiless nature too well even to
attempt to touch his feelings. She passed the last night
in prayer, and when morning came, and she heard that her
execution was to be a few hours later than she expected,
she said to Mr. Kingston : " I hear I shall not die afore
noon, and I am very sorry, for I thought to be dead by
this time, and past my pain."

1536- Anne Boleyn. 401

Mr. Kingston told her that the pain would be little and
very short.

" I have heard say," she replied, " that the executioner
is very good, and I have a little neck," and she spanned
it with her hands, laughing heartily as she did so.

[A.D. 1536.] Her last message to the king was : " Com-
mend me to his majesty, and tell him he hath been ever
constant in his career of advancing me ; from a private
gentlewoman he made me a marchioness, from a mar-
chioness a queen, and now he hath left no higher degree of
honor he gives my innocency the crown of martyrdom,"

A few minutes before twelve o'clock the massive doors
of the Tower were thrown open, and the royal victim
appeared in a robe of black damask with a deep white
cape falling around her shoulders.

She looked very beautiful when she ascended the
scaffold, with a calm and dignified air, and turning to
Kingston she requested him not to hasten the signal of her
death until she had spoken what she desired to say.

Then she began : " Good Christian people, I am come
hither to die by the law, therefore I will speak nothing
against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, but only
to die, and to yield myself humbly unto the will of my lord
the king. I pray God to save the king, and send him long
to reign over you, for a gentler or more merciful prince
there never was. If any person will meddle with my cause,
I require them to judge the best. Thus I take my leave
of the world and of you, and I heartily desire that you all
will pray for me." She then removed her hat and collar,
as well as the close cap from her head, and handed them
to her ladies, who were weeping so bitterly that they could
not aid her. Then turning to them she said : " And ye,
my damsels, who ever showed yourselves so diligent in my
service, and who are now to be present at my last hour

402 The Queens of England.

and mortal agony, as in good fortune ye were faithful to
me, so even in this my miserable death ye do not forsake
me. And as I cannot reward you for your true service to
me, I pray you take comfort for my loss. Forget me not,
and be always faithful to the king's grace, and to her whom
with happier fortune, ye may have as your queen and
mistress. Esteem your honor far above your life, and in
prayers forget not to pray for my soul."

Mary Wyatt, the sister of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the poet,
who was one of Anne's devoted friends, attended her on
the scaffold, and received her last gift, which was a little
book of devotions bound in black enamel and gilt. She
then whispered a few words to this lady, and kneeling
down, placed her head upon the block. Time was allowed
the poor unfortunate queen to say ; " O Lord God, have
pity on my soul," when the sword fell. With one stroke,
the head of Anne Boleyn was severed from her body, and
rolled in the dust.

There is a black marble monument in the ancient church
of Horndon-on-the-Hill, in Essex, pointed out as the burial
place of Anne Boleyn, but as it bears no name, no notice
or inscription of any kind, there is no proof that her body
lies there.

A great epic poet has beautifully said : —

" Tradition ! oh, tradition ! thou of the seraph tongue ;
The ark that links two ages, the ancient and the young."

CHAPTER XXIV.

JANE SEYMOUR, THIRD QUEEN OF HENRY VIII.
(A.D. 1536-1537)

Jane Seymour has always been pronounced the most
beautiful of all the wives of Henry VIII. But she has also
been presented to the world as a meritorious, discreet, young
woman. We cannot consider her so when we remember
that within twenty-four hours after 'Anne Boleyn's head was
cut off she became the king's wife. For it must have been
while acting as maid of honor for that unhappy lady that
she not only received the attentions of her fickle, heartless
husband, but even made all the necessary arrangements
for her marriage with him. We shudder at the thought of
the preparations that must have been going forward for the
wedding-feast at the palace, while the Tower was the scene
of heart-rending agony to the queen, who was about to sac-
rifice her life for the gratification of a tyrant.

The giddiness of youth cannot be pleaded as apology for
Jane Seymour's indecency, for she was no child when she
permitted herself to be courted by the royal Bluebeard, and
must have been entirely conscious of the enormity of her
actions.

Perhaps her early education was at fault, but of that little
is known excepting that it was acquired in France. She
was maid of honor to Mary Tudor, queen of Louis XII.,
and went to England after her dismissal from the French
court. Anne Boleyn occupied a similar position at the

403

404 The Queens of England.

same time, therefore the two maids of honor probably knew
each other intimately.

One day, after Anne Boleyn had ascended the throne,
she observ'ed a locket that hung from a pretty gold chain
about the neck of Jane Seymour, and expressed a desire to
see it closer. The maid of honor blushed, faltered, and
drew back, whereupon the queen snatched the locket from
her, opened it, and beheld the likeness of the king, her
husband.

From that moment Anne Boleyn knew that her fate was
sealed ; she was indignant, but that availed her nothing.
She found herself supplanted by a rival as she had supplanted
her predecessor. Perhaps her punishment was deserved,
but it does not justify the conduct of the king or his new
lady-love.

[A.D. 1536.] When the axe made Henry VIII. a wid-
ower, Jane Seymour was at Wolf Hall, in Wiltshire, and her
royal lover at Richmond Park. On the morning of the 19th
of May his majesty stood under a spreading oak, with his
huntsmen and hounds prepared for the chaise, awaiting the
signal gun from the Tower to announce that he was free.
At last the welcome sound reached his ear. " Ha, ha ! "
he cried, " the deed is done ! uncouple the hounds and
away." This was all the regret he expressed for the death
of the woman he had pretended to love so well.

His widowhood lasted just one night, for the next morn-
ing he was at Wolf Hall, where he was united to the beautiful
Jane Seymour. The ceremony was performed in the parish
church, and was succeeded by a feast at which several mem-
bers of the king's privy council were present.

Then the royal couple proceeded to Winchester, and from
there to London. A grand reception was held on the 29th
of May, when Jane was presented as queen.

When parliament met, a few days later, the lord-chan-

JANE SEYMOUR.

1536. Jane Seymour. 407

cellor made a lengthy speech setting forth the king's virtues,
trying to justify his vagaries in the matrimonial line by a
great deal of tedious, false reasoning, and winding up with
the information that Anne Boleyn's daughter was not heir
to the throne of England. Part of this speech was devoted
to setting forth the noble sacrifices made by Henry VIII.
for the benefit of his people.

The speaker chosen by the House of Commons went
further, and loaded the king with the most fulsome compli-
ments, comparing him to Samson, Solomon, and Absalom
combined. Thus was Henry VIII. encouraged in his wicked-
ness, until, as Cardinal Wolsey wisely said : " he actually
forgot that there was both heaven and hell."

The Princess Mary was on good terms with her step-
mother, who effected a reconciliation between her and the
king ; but the conditions were so cruel, that there was not
much to be grateful for. Perhaps Jane was not responsible
for them, and as we have so little that is favorable to relate
of this queen, we will give' her the benefit of the doubt.
She made no enemies, because she avoided expressing any
decided opinions, and preserved as much as possible a pla-
cid silence, and permitted herself to be governed, in all
things, by her husband. If regard for her head prompted
such behavior, at least she was wise.

The winter of 1537 was a remarkably cold one, and the
royal couple with their entire court crossed the frozen
Thames on horseback, so thick and solid was the ice..

Henry's two other queens had been crowned, so he
thought the same honor ought to be conferred on the third,
but the continuance of the pestilence caused that ceremony
to be postponed so k>ng that death prevented it altogether,
for Jane Seymour live d only eighteen months after her mar-
riage. Meanwhile, she was living at Hampton Court, where
her little son was born, who afterwards became Edward VI.

408

The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1537.] This prince was baptized at midnight, and
both his sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, took part in the cer-
emony, which was succeeded by such a blowing of trumpets
as must have been very trying, indeed, to the nerves of a
young infant.

The next day Jane Seymour died. Her body was
embalmed and laid on a car of state covered with a rich vel-

HAMPTON COURT, GARDEN FRONT.

vet cloth. On top of this pall was a wax figure resembling
the dead queen dressed in regal robes with a crown, sceptre,
and jewels.

On the 1 2th of 'November the car was drawn by six
horses to St. George's Chapel, where the corpse was interred.

Henry VHI. wrote a letter to Francis I. rejoicing over
the birth of his son and expressing considerable regret at
the death of his wife. He really did put on mourning attire,
and appeared depressed in spirits for several weeks. This
is all that could be expected of so worldly and gay a king.

CHAPTER XXV.

ANNE OF CLEVES, FOURTH QUEEN OF HENRY VIII.
(A.D. 1516-1577.)

Anne of Cleves was a most unfortunate, ill-treated
princess, but she possessed so many virtues that she surely
deserved a better fate than to become the wife of a king
so devoid of the feelings of a gentleman as Henr\' VIII.

After the death of his third queen, this capricious
monarch did not find it so easy to get another as he
probably expected it would be. Certainly it must have
been a woman of rare courage who would willingly subject
herself to such a yoke, knowing the experience of his other
victims.

Jane Seymour had not been dead more than a month
when he made a request of Francis I. that he might be
permitted to choose a lady from the royal blood of France
for his queen. That monarch replied, "that there was
not a damsel of any degree in his own dominions who
should not be at his disposal."

Henry was quite flattered at this compliment, and thought
it would only be necessary for him to put out his hand to
secure any woman he might condescend to favor, so he
requested Francis just to bring all the fairest ladies of
his court to Calais for him to take his choice. The
gallantry of the French king was shocked at such an idea,
and he replied, " that it was impossible to bring ladies of
noble blood to market as horses are trotted out at a fair."

Then Henry wanted to marry James V.'s lady-love, whom

409

4IO The Queens of England.

he had seen and admired, not paying the slightest attention
to the fact that she was already engaged. When he found
it impossible to get her, he was ready to consider the prop-
osition of his ambassador with regard to her sister or
M^emoiselle Vendome.

" Let them be brought to Calais," he said, " and I will
take a look at them."

" That would be impossible," was the reply ; " but your
majesty could send somebody to Paris to see them."

" Good gracious ! how can I depend upon any one but
myself ? " asked Henry. " I must see them, and hear them
sing ; and what is more, I must see how they look while
they are singing," he added.

By the end of the year he found that there was no hope
for him in France, so he put on a most melancholy air,
and pretended to be dreadfully grieved at the death of his
pretty Jane.

This state of mind lasted for about two years ; then
Cromwell spoke in such flattering terms of the princesses
of the house of Cleves that Henry began to think he had
played the rble of forlorn widower long enough.

Cromwell had only seen Sybilla, the eldest daughter of
the Duke of Cleves. She was married to the Duke of
Saxony, and was famed for her talents, virtues, charming
manners, and extreme beauty. But unfortunately for
Henry, Anne, the second daughter, was as unlike her
sister as possible, and had no accomplishments whatever,
with the exception of needlework.

Holbein, the celebrated Dutch artist, was required to
paint the portraits of both Anne and her younger sister,
Amelia, for Henry's inspection, and Christopher Mount
was sent to negotiate the treaty of marriage. He wrote a
letter to Cromwell filled with Anne's praises and said,
" she as far excelleth the Dutchess of Saxony as the golden
sun excelleth the silver moon."

1516. Anne of Cleves. 411

The Duke of Saxony was very much opposed to a union
of his sister-in-law with a man of Henry VIII. 's character,
but he was the champion of the Reformation, and Christo-
pher Mount assured him " that the cause of Protestantism
in Europe would be greatly advanced by the influence of a
Lutheran Queen of England, for Henry was easily managed
through his wives."

The Duke of Cleves died in 1559, but his son, who suc-
ceeded him, favored Anne's marriage with King Henry, and
so did their mother, both being strong allies of the Protest-
ant cause, and feeling that even though it might be a sac-
rifice, it ought to be made for the sake of their religion.

One of Henry's commissioners wrote him that Anne
" occupieth much of her time with her needle. She can
read and write her own language, but French and Latin
or other language she knoweth not ; nor yet can sing or
play on any instrument, for they take it here in Germany
for a rebuke and an occasion of lightness that great ladies
should be learned, or have any knowledge of music." He
also speaks of her gentle and amiable temper, but above all
he praises her sobriety, which is quite amusing.

Ever since the death of Jane Seymour the Catholics and
Protestants of England had vied with each other as to
which should be next represented in the queen. It was
the magic brush of Hans Holbein that decided the question,
and Cromwell won a triumph over Gardiner, Norfolk, and
his other rivals, though it brought him ruin at last.

At length all matters of state policy and ceremony were
arranged, and the young princess bade farewell to her
mother, brother, and sisters, by whom she was tenderly
beloved.

The first week in October, 1539, she left her native city,
Dusseldorf on the Rhine, attended by a splendid escort.
On her arrival at Antwerp she was received by the English

412 The Queens of England.

merchants there, who gave her a grand torchlight procession
by dayhght. Next day she proceeded on her journey, and
arrived at Calais December ii.

About a mile outside of the town she was met by a reg-
iment of armed men, with the king's archers, all in gay
attire, besides the Earl of Southampton, Lord William
Howard, and many other lords and gentlemen. Gregor)'
Cromwell, with twenty-four others wore coats of satin dam-
ask and velvet, with gold chains of great value, and two
hundred yeoman who followed them were dressed in the
king's colors, red and blue cloth.

The Earl of Southampton welcomed the royal bride and
conducted her into Calais, where such a peal of guns was
shot from the ships on her arrival that all her retinue were
astonished. Then firing began all along the coast, and was
continued by the vessels until there were one hundred and
fifty rounds, and so much smoke that the people in Anne's
train could scarcely see each other.

The following day she was presented by the mayor with
a hundred gold sovereigns, and for about three weeks after
her arrival there were all sorts of pastimes and festivities.
Meanwhile Henry impatiently awaited his long-expected
bride, and busied himself with the execution of four worthy
abbots.

The wind did not favor her progress until the 27th, when
she embarked, attended by a fleet of fifty ships, and arrived
at Deal the same day. The princess was received by a
great company of ladies and gentlemen, and conducted to
Dover Castle, where she remained until the next Monday,
when, in a dreadful storm, she set out for Canterbury. Sev-
eral days of travel brought the royal bride to Rochester,
and New Year's Day was spent at the bishop's palace in
that town.

The king was so impatient to see her, that, in company

iSt6. Anne of Cleves. 413

with eight of his gentlemen-in-waiting, he rode to Rochester
to steal a look at his German bride, who, no doubt he
thought, would rival the bright-eyed Boleyn and the fair
Seymour.

On his arrival he sent a messenger to inform Anne " that
he had brought her a New Year's gift, if she would please to
receive it."

He followed his messenger into the room where she sat,
but a glance was sufficient to show him that he had been
deceived. She was by no means a pretty woman, and Henry
regarded himself as an injured person in having to marry
her. Perhaps she was not more charmed with his appear-
ance or manners, but she sank upon her knees at his
approach and did her best to receive him lovingly. He
raised her gently, and kissed her, but there could not have
been much conversation between them so long as they had
to employ an interpreter. Besides her language was so
displeasing to his musical ear that he did not want to hear
more of it than he could help, though he knew before she
came that she could speak no English, The moment he
left her presence he sent for the lords who had brought her
over and made his complaints.

The New Year's gift that he had provided for Anne was
a muff and tippet of rich sable, but when he found she was
not handsome he would not honor her by presenting it
with his own hands, but sent it on the following morning
by a messenger.

He returned to Greenwich in a melancholy frame of
mind, and abused Cromwell for having provided him with
a wife whom, with his usual brutality, he called a "great
Flanders mare." Cromwell tried to put the blame on the
Earl of Southampton, and said : " That when he found
the princess so different from the pictures, and the reports
that had been made of her, he ought to have stopped her

414 The Queens of England,

at Calais till he had given the king notice that she was not
so handsome as she had been represented." The admiral
replied bluntly " that he was not invested with any such
authority, his commission was to bring her to England, and
he had obeyed orders." The king interrupted them by
ordering them to find some means to get him out of his
engagement. There was a great deal of discussion about
the matter, but no objection to the marriage could be in-
vented that would be at all satisfactory to Anne's relations
in Germany, so Cromwell assured the king that as a matter
of policy he must do nothing to gain the ill-will of her
friends.

" Is there no remedy but that I must needs put my neck
into this yoke ? " exclaimed Henry, passionately.

After these gracious words, which it is to be hoped did
not reach the ears of the insulted lady who was waiting his
orders at Dartford, he commanded the most splendid prep-
arations to be made for his marriage. On the 3d of
January a rich tent, covered with cloth of gold, was pitched
at the foot of Shooter's Hill for the royal bride, and other
tents around for her ladies. Twelve hundred gentlemen were
ranged in double file from the park gates to the heath
awaiting the arrival of the king with his bride. About twelve
o'clock her grace came down from Shooter's Hill, accom-
panied by a hundred of her own nation, the Dukes of Nor-
folk and Suffolk, the Archbishop of Canterbury, with other
bishops, lords and knights who had come from France, and
went towards the tents, where Dr. Kaye, her almoner, pre-
sented all the officers and servants of her household, and
addressed to her an eloquent Latin oration, of which she
did not understand a word. It was answered by her
brother's secretary, who acted as interpreter. Then Anne
stepped out of her chariot, and was saluted and welcomed
by sixty-five ladies, whom she thanked and kissed, after

i5i6. Anne of Cleves. 415

which all entered the tents to warm themselves, for the
weather was exceedingly cold and disagreeable. When
the king heard that his bride had arrived at her tent he set
out through the park to meet her, accompanied by the
officers of his council and his gentlemen in waiting, all
richly attired in velvet coats embroidered in gold, and
mounted on fine large horses. The Marquis of Dorset rode
alone, attired in purple velvet and bearing the king's sword
of state. Some distance behind him came Henry VIII.,
mounted on a splendid white courser with trappings of
cloth of gold embroidered with pearls. All the buckles,
bit, and pendants were of solid gold. The king wore an
embroidered purple velvet coat, the sleeves and breast of
which were slashed, showing cloth of gold beneath, and
fastened together with large buttons of diamonds, rubies,
and oriental pearls. His sword and girdle were studded
with costly emeralds, and his cap was so covered with
jewels that it was not possible to fix a value on it. Around
his neck was a deep collar thickly studded with rubies and
pearls.

When the bride was informed of Henry's approach she
walked out of her tent, mounted a white horse, and, sur-
rounded by her footmen, rode forward to meet him. Her
dress was made of rich cloth of gold, cut round in Dutch
fashion without a train. On her head she wore a close
cap, above which was a circular bonnet ornamented with
oriental pearls. Across her brow was a coronet of black
velvet, and around her neck a band of superb diamonds.
Henry saluted her in the most courteous manner, took off
his hat and embraced her as though he really cared for her,
while she, not forgetting her duty, and perhaps the instruc-
tions she had received, thanked him sweetly and praised
the arrangements he had made for her reception. No
doubt he was pleased with all the flattering remarks she

4l6 The Queens of Engla^id.

felt obliged to make to him. Then he put her on his right
side and they rode along together, he acting a deceitful
part in trying to appear pleased, and she filled with indig-
nation at the way he had scorned her.

When the grand cavalcade that followed and preceded
the royal pair arrived at Greenwich Castle all the men
alighted from their horses excepting the king, who rode to
the inner court with his bride. When the queen had
alighted from her horse Henry tenderly embraced her, and
bade her "welcome to her own," then conducted her
through the hall that had been prepared for her reception.
There he left her and went to his room, where he had an
interview with Cromwell, to whom he made bitter com-
plaints about the appearance of his unlucky bride.

Cromwell said he was sorry his grace was not better
satisfied, whereupon Henry bade him call his council
together to see whether they could not hit upon some plan
for getting him out of this marriage. The council met
that very afternoon, but failed to aid the king out of his
dilemma, and this put him in such a bad humor that he
would not say what he had determined to do until the
next Monday morning; then he ordered the marriage
ceremony to be performed next day, without even consulting
the bride.

He wore a gown of cloth of gold, with raised silver
flowers all over it. His coat was crimson satin embroidered
and slashed, the points fastened with large diamonds, and
a rich collar about his neck.

He entered the presence-chamber, arid calling Cromwell
to him, said, ** My lord, if it were not to satisfy the world
and my realm, I would not do what I must do this day for
any earthly thing." Then one of the officers of the
household informed him that the queen was ready. He
advanced towards her chamber door, but had to wait

151^- Anne of Cleves. 417

several minutes before she appeared, which made him very
angry. Who can blame the poor woman for her tardiness ?
she would have been excusable if she had refused to come
at all. At last Henry sent one of his lords to bring
her. She was dressed in a robe of cloth of gold, thickly
embroidered in large flowers of oriental pearls. The skirt
was cut, as before, round without a train, and at her neck
and waist were costly jewels. Her hair fell luxuriantly
over her shoulders, and on her head was a coronet of
diamonds, with a few sprigs of rosemary. She walked
modestly forward, between the Earls of Overstein and
Essex, with a sad, demure expression, and on approaching
the spot where the king stood made three low obeisances.
She was followed by her ladies.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and Cranmer performed
the marriage ceremony, the Earl of Overstein gave her
away, and on her wedding-ring was engraved this sentence
" God send me weel to keepe."

On the 4th of February the king and queen went up the
Thames in grand state to their palace of Westminster.
Henry kept up an outward show of attention to his bride,
but she knew not the art of pleasing, felt no sympathy
with his tastes, and could not gain his affection.

She knew this, but could not help it. Several times she
sent for Cromwell, hoping with his advice to be more
successful, but he positively refused to talk privately with
her. He had reasons of his own for doing so.

On the I St of May a company of the gallant knights at
court, all dressed in white velvet with rich ornaments, had
a grand tournament in honor of the recent marriage, and
this was the last time Henry and Anne of Cleves ever
appeared together in public.

Anne studied the English language industriously, and
tried in every possible manner to please her lord, but by

41 8 The Queens of England.

the end of five months she was convinced that it was
hopeless.

There was a low-born, unprincipled creature at court,
named Sir Thomas Wriothesley, who would have done or
said anything to gain favor with his sovereign, and he
kept constantly lamenting over Henry's position, and how
hard it was for him to be bound to a wife whom he could
not love. In this way he prepared the way for a divorce,
and Henry was only too ready to avail himself of any
excuse. Now his sensitive conscience began to trouble
him again. This time it was on the score of religion ; he
could not bear to think of having a Lutheran wife. No
wonder poor Anne lost patience, and in a moment of pique,
told him that, " if she had not been compelled to marry
him she might have fulfilled her engagement with another
to whom she had promised her hand."

That was enough for him ; she could scarcely have said
anything that would have suited him better, and he at once
set to work to make her position as unpleasant as pos-
sible. His first move was to dismiss all her foreign attend-
ants, and supply their places with English ladies of his
own selection.

By this time he was in love with the young and beautiful
Katharine Howard, niece to the Duke of Norfolk, and had
decided to make her his wife as soon as he could manage
it. The leaders of the Catholic party favored this union, and
hoped at the same time for the downfall of their great enemy,
Cromwell. They were soon to be gratified, for Henry now
required a tool, who would not be guided by the nice feel-
ings of a gentleman, for carrjdng out his plans. Cromwell
was not such a one, and he must be put out of the way. In
this reign of terror nothing was easier, and in less thaq a
month he was arrested and shut up in the Tower.

A few days later Anne was sent to Richmond under pre-

15'^ Anne of Cleves. 419

tence that her health required change of air, and this was
the prelude to the divorce for which Henry had now grown
impatient.

Archbishop Cranmer had performed the marriage cere-
mony, and it now became his duty to divorce the king for
the third time in less than seven years. This was accom-
plished by unanimous consent of the clergy July 13. As
the queen was a stranger to English laws and customs, she
was spared the humiliation of appearing before the council.

When everything was settled, Suffolk, Southampton, and
Wriothesley were appointed to go to Richmond to get the
queen's consent. She was so alarmed when she saw them
that before the true object of their visit could be explained
to her she fell fainting to the ground. No doubt the poor
woman thought she was on the point of having her head
cut off. When she recovered consciousness, she was told
that if she would resign her title as queen Henry would
adopt her for a sister, and that she should be endowed with
estates to the value of ;^3,ooo a year. This was an immense
relief, and Anne expressed her willingness to resign her
honors with such alacrity that the lords were quite surprised.

When Henry heard this, and saw the paper she had
signed to that effect, he could not believe that she was so
ready to part with so supremely precious a person. Fearing
that she might relent, he wrote to his council requesting
them to have her write a letter to her brother explaining
her position, and expressing her earnest desire for the
divorce.

Anne then wrote her mother and brother that she was
honorably treated, and felt quite cheerful and contented.
She hoped that no dispute would arise between her native
land and England, where she purposed spending her life,
and begged them in no way to interfere, no doubt dreading
that if they did so it would be visited on her head.

420

The Queens of England.

[A.D. 1540.] On the 28th of July, Cromwell was

beheaded, and the pious, learned Doctor Barnes, who had
been instrumental in bringing about the marriage, was
burned at the stake.

In August Henry visited his divorced wife at Richmond,
and was so well received by her that he stayed to supper
and seemed in excellent humor. Two days later he pub-
licly introduced Katharine Howard at court as his queen.

WATERLOO BRIDGE AND SOMERSET HOUSE.

In the meantime Anne passed her time very pleasantly at
Richmond, dressed magnificently, and performed many
deeds of charity ; in short, she was happier than she had
been since her departure from home.

Sixteen months later Katharine was thrown into prison,
and then several attempts were made by various parties to
bring about the reunion of Henry and Anne, but fortunately
for her without success. From her retirement she heard

1577.

Anne of Cleves.

421

of the miser}' the king endured when he became convinced
of how his new wife had deceived him, and she must have
been more than human if she did not feel somewhat grati-
fied when the royal Bluebeard was compelled to part from
her.

Katharine Howard enjoyed sixteen months of boundless
influence over her husband, but her lucky star was soon to
wane, and without being allowed to open her lips in her
own defence save to her confessor, she was led like a sheep
to the slaughter. Her execution took place February 13.

[A.D. 1577.] Anne of Cleves outlived Henry VHI.
and his last wife, and died during the reign of Queen Mary
at the Palace of Chelsea, aged forty-one.

GUARD CHAMBER, LAMBETH rAI.ACE.

CHAPTER XXVI.

KATHARINE HOWARD, FIFTH QUEEN OF HENRY VIII.
(A.D. 1521-1542.)

There is not a family in England whose name has ap-
peared so often in its history, whether for good or for bad,
as that of the Howards, nor one whose members filled
such varied and important positions, as every attentive
reader will admit.

Katharine Howard was nearly related to Anne Boleyn ;
she became the fifth wife of Henry VIH., and is by no
means one of the nobler specimens of the family to which
she belonged.

She was bom in 152 1, and had the misfortune to lose
her mother while she was still young. Her father's
duties called him from home a greater part of the time,
and the Duchess of Norfolk, her grandmother, who had
charge of Katharine, was so neglectful of her duty as to
permit the child to choose her own companions, and they
were unfortunately low and degraded.

Unlike most grandmothers, the duchess merely tolerated
Katharine in her household, and felt that she had per-
formed her part when the little maid was locked in her
room, and the key safely deposited in her own pocket.
But, like many naughty girls, Katharine managed, in spite
of locks, to meet Francis Derham, one of the Duke of
Norfolk's retainers, to whom she secretly engaged herself.
In order to be nearer his lady-love, Derham entered the
service of her grandmother as gentleman-usher. After a
433

IS3I. Katharine Howard. 423

time th'e old lady began to observe certain signs of inti-
macy between this pair of lovers, and on entering a room
one day unexpectedly she found them romping together.
Shocked at the familiarity of her usher towards her grand-
daughter, she boxed the ears of the lady-attendant for per-
mitting it, punished Katharine, and dismissed Derham
from her service.

After that Katharine was kept under greater restraint.

HEADS ON OLD LONDON BRIDGE.

and as she grew into womanhood learned to behave
properly, and became remarkable for her charming and
graceful manners.

She met Henry VIII. the first time at a banquet given
by the Bishop of Winchester to celebrate the monarch's
marriage with Anne of Cleves, and afterwards at the house
of Gardiner. The king took such a fancy to her that it
was not long before he secured her appointment as maid-
of-honor to the queen. It has been supposed that Kath-
arine was instrumental in bringing about the death of

424 The Queens of England.

Cromwell, but, as she only intrigued for the king's favors,
it is not probable that she troubled her head about poli-
tics.

Henry VIII. fell in love with her as he had done with
Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, when they were maids-of-
honor, and little Katharine was silly enough to be flattered
by the marks of favor he showed her. The Duchess of
Norfolk, instead of warning the girl of her danger, was
foolish enough to encourage her to court the king's atten-
tion, and provided her with fine clothes to make her as
attractive as possible to his majesty.

Henry was easily won, and privately married Katharine
a few days after he was divorced from Anne of Cleves.

[A.D. 1540.] On the 8th of August, 1540, the new bride
was introduced at Hampton Court as Queen of England.
A short honeymoon was passed at Windsor, and then the
royal couple made a tour through several counties, but the
king had exhausted his treasury when he married his
Flemish bride, so he could not honor Katharine Howard
with either a coronation or a marriage festival. But he
was very much in love, and lavished affection on her.

Six months of peace and happiness were enjoyed by the
royal couple, Henry seldom leaving the side of his young
wife, nor permitting any of his councillors to interrupt his
pleasures. Katharine felt her power, and forgot what had
been the fate of her predecessors. She was soon to be re-
minded, however, for the realm had become divided into
two parties — the Catholic and Protestant, and both were
strong. The Reformers fondly hoped that Anne of Cleves
might be restored to her former position, and regarded
Katharine in the same unfavorable light as Anne Boleyn
had been looked upon by the Catholics.

At last, in the spring, came a crisis in the shape of an
insurrection by the Catholics in Yorkshire, headed by Sir

1S40' Katharine Howard. 427

John Neville. Henry thought Cardinal Pole was the
cause of it, and so took his revenge by ordering the execu-
tion of the Countess of Salisbury, Pole's mother, who had
been in the Tower for more than a year. When the aged
lady heard of it she refused to lay her head upon the
block, saying, " So should traitors do, but I am none, and
if you will have my head you must win it as you can."
Thereupon the brutal ruffian who acted as executioner
dragged her by her hoary locks, and " slovenly butchered
the woman in whose veins flowed the noblest blood of
England."

For the purpose of ascertaining the exact state of affairs
in Yorkshire, King Henry set out with his wife for that
place early in July, 1541, leaving Cranmer, Audley, and
Seymour, three Protestant adherents, among his councillors
at home. At Yorkshire the royal couple were met by two
hundred gentlemen in velvet coats, with four thousand
yeomen, who knelt while one of their number offered nine
hundred pounds. At another place three hundred eccle-
siastics presented six hundred pounds, and so on until
Henry found himself much richer than when he started on
his journey. Queen Katharine saw more of the pomp of
royalty at this time than she had done during the whole
year before, for the wealthy aristocracy in every part of the
country vied with each other in the grandeur of their enter-
tainments given in honor of the royal couple.

Katharine had been married litde more than a year
when Francis Derham returned to England, and she com-
mitted the error of appointing him as her private secretary.
As soon as the king heard of the relation that had existed
between this man and his wife previous to her marriage his
jealousy was aroused, and the Protestant statesmen took
good care to encourage every suspicion that entered their
monarch's head. Meanwhile poor little Katharine was

428 The Queens of England.

entirely unconscious of the storm that was gathering about
her.

King Henry was soon forced to order her removal from
Hampton Court. Wriothesley and Rich were the unprin-
cipled, cruel agents who, determined upon the destruction
of the queen, persecuted her until she was beside herself
with terror and grief. Then, too, she loved her husband,
and when she was compelled to leave him without one
word of farewell, one look of compassion, her heart was
almost broken. The king suffered also, but his council
took little heed of that; it would be dangerous for them
were Katharine to regain her power.

Shakespeare truly says :

" Trifles, light as air.
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ."

Katharine was removed to Sion House, and thence a
few days later to the gloomy dungeon of the Tower.

During the short season of terror that succeeded the
queen's arrest, Derham, the poor old Duchess of Norfolk,
Culpepper, Katharine's cousin, and several other persons
who were guilty of no crime but that of suspecting the
attachment that had existed before her marriage between
Katharine and Derham, were executed.

On the 1 6th of January, 1542, parliament met to decide
the fate of the queen, and without granting her the priv-
ilege of uttering one word in her own defence she was
condemned to die. The 14th of the following month was
fixed upon for the execution of this beautiful young girl,
against whom no crime could be proved even through the
instrumentality of the torture.

[A.D. 1542.] She met her death calmly and meekly,
professing to the last her loyalty to the king. Her burial

1542.

Katharine Hotvard.

429

took place immediately without even the ceremonies that
would have been accorded to the meanest of her subjects ;
she was interred in St. Peter's chapel of the Tower. When
speaking of Henry VIII., Sir Walter Raleigh says : " If all
the patterns of a merciless tyrant had been lost to the
world they might have been found in this prince."

CHAPTER XXVII.

KATHARINE PARR, SIXTH QUEEN OF HENRY VIII.
(A.D. 1513-1548.)

Katharine Parr was the first Protestant Queen of
England, and the only one of the wives of Henry VIII. who
supported the doctrine of the Reformation with sincerity.
She was an Englishwoman, but not of royal birth, being the
only daughter of Sir Thomas Parr, a knight. She was
gifted by nature with a fine mind, which was carefully cul-
tivated by her excellent mother, as some of her writings
that still exist certainly prove. She read and wrote Latin
well, and had some knowledge of Greek.

When a little girl she never could bear to sew, and often
said to her mother, " my hands are ordained to touch
crowns and sceptres, not spindles and needles." But Lady
Parr was too wise to allow such notions to take a strong
hold of her daughter's mind, and insisted on her perform-
ing those duties that befitted her station in life ; con-
sequently her embroidery, of which specimens have been
preserved, shows unusual skill and industry. At Lizergh
Castle a magnificent counterpane and toilet-cover are ex-
hibited as the work of her hands, and although three
centuries have passed since it was done, the colors are
scarcely dimmed at all. The material is the richest white
satin. In the centre is a medallion of a raised eagle
beneath the royal crown, surrounded by a wreath of flowers
in colored silks and gold thread. At each corner is a large
dragon in purple, crimson, and gold, while bouquets of
430

KATHARINE PARR.

1543- Katharine Parr. 433

flowers in gorgeous colors are dispersed here and there
over the other part. The pieces match, but are of different
proportions.

Katharine was married twice before she became the wife
of Henry VIII. Her first husband was Lord Edward
Borough, a middle-aged widower with several children, who
died a short time after the marriage. John Neville, Lord
Latimer, was her second choice ; he was also a widower
with children, and Katharine's amiable temper and sound
sense so well fitted her to perform the duties a stepmother
that she was loved and esteemed by the families of both
her husbands.

She was not more than twenty-nine years old when she
was left a widow for the second time. It was then that
she became a convert to the Reformed religion, and en-
couraged its apostles to meet daily in her chamber of state
to preach their sermons.

She was not only pious, learned and handsome, but she
possessed great wealth, and was connected by descent or
marriage with some of the noblest families in England.

Scarcely six months had elapsed after the death of Lord
Latimer when she was informed by Henry VIII. that she
was the lady whom he intended to honor by making her
his sixth wife. She was amazed, and no doubt terrified,
when she recalled the cruel treatment of her royal suitor's
other victims. Besides Lord Seymour was courting her,
and she had favored his attentions. But that gentleman
valued his head so much that no sooner did he hear of his
all-powerful royal brother-in-law's intention than he van-
ished from the scene, leaving Katharine to transfer her
affection as best she might.

[A.D. 1543.] She exchanged her widow's weeds for
bridal robes, and was married at Hampton Court without
pageantry, but with all suitable observance of ceremony.

434 ^^^ Queens of England.

We are reminded of the fair Scheherazade in the Arabian
Nights, who married the sultan, knowing that it was his
custom to take a fresh wife every day and cut off her head
in the morning.

But the cross, selfish old tyrant whom Katharine Parr
had the courage to marry was in such bad health that he
needed a skilful nurse ; perhaps for that reason she felt
confident that her position would be secure. On the day
of her marriage she gave presents of bracelets set with
rubies, as well as a liberal sum of money, to the Princesses
Mary and Elizabeth.

The University of Cambridge sent the king a congratu-
latory letter on his choice of a Protestant wife, and the
celebrated Roger Ascham corresponded with her in the
name of that college, requesting her to write oftener, and
not to shrink from being called learned. The dignity of
the scholar and the queen are beautifully blended with the
tenderness of the woman in the character of Katharine
Parr after she ascended the throne.

She became an object of jealous ill-will to Gardiner, the
leader of the Catholic party, who feared her influence over
the king. Scarcely two weeks after the marriage he ad-
vised Henry to appoint a commission to search every house
in Windsor for books written in favor of the new religion.
Henry consented, but made an exception of the castle, no
doubt having reason to know that more of such works
would be found hidden away in his own household than in
all the town put together.

The result was that many men and women were arrested,
tried, and condemned to death, and although the flames of
their martyrdom were kindled almost in sight of the Prot-
estant queen, she was unable to save the victims. She
knew well enough that the murder of these humble Re-
formers was a blow aimed at herself, and that Gardiner was

1543' Katharine Parr. 435

playing a bold game against all those professing her
religion. •

One of the first acts of justice that Katharine performed
after she became queen was to restore the king's two
daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, to their proper position at
court, after which she was constantly making them pres-
ents, and showing them many deeds of tenderness and
motherly care. She and Mary were opposed to each other
in religious belief, but they were about the same age, had
the same accomplishments and tastes, and soon became
warm and steadfast friends. Elizabeth's brilliant talents
were drawn forth and encouraged by her gifted step-
mother, who also directed the studies of Edward.

In one of his letters to her he says : " I thank you, most
noble and excellent queen, for the letters you have lately
sent me ; not only for their beauty, but for their imagina-
tion. When I see your good writing and the excellence
of your genius, quite surpassing my invention, I am sick of
writing. But then I think how kind your nature is, and
that whatever proceeds from a good, kind intention will
be acceptable ; and so I write you this letter."

Her celebrated work, " The Lamentations of a Sinner,"
is one of the finest specimens of English composition of
that period. It is a treatise on morality and the imperfec-
tions of human nature.

Henry would have been miserable with a woman of such
superior intellect if she had not constantly flattered him
and studied his various moods. But so great was the in-
fluence she acquired over him, and the confidence he felt
in her wisdom, that when he went on an expedition against
France he appointed her to govern his realm as Queen
Regent of England and Ireland, assisted by the Earl of
Hertford.

During his absence he wrote very loving letters to his

43^ The Queens of England.

wife, who, together with her royal step-children, resided in
one house. •

[A.D. 1544.] She showed a great deal of moral cour-
age, but by her beauty, tact, and domestic virtues she had
made herself so necessary to her fat, dropsical husband
that she was dearer to him than any of her predecessors
had been.

Henry had become so unwieldy from disease that he
could not move without assistance, and his wife showed
herself the most patient and tender of nurses. Sometimes
she would remain on her knees for hours bathing and
bandaging his ulcerated leg, for he would not permit any-
body to touch it but her.

[A.D. 1546.] The last occasion of festivity at the court
of Henry VHI. was when ambassadors arrived to arrange
terms of peace between France and England. They were
met by a numerous cavalcade of nobles, knights and gen-
tlemen, headed by the young heir to the throne. Prince
Edward, who, though only in his ninth year, was mounted
on a charger, and welcomed them in the most graceful and
engaging manner. He conducted them to Hampton
Court, where for ten days they were feasted and enter-
tained with great magnificence by the king and queen.

Henry presented Katharine with jewels of great value,
that she might make a good appearance before their French
guests, he also provided new and costly hangings and
furniture for her apartments as well as a quantity of hand-
some silver.

Wriothesley and Bishop Gardiner were alarmed at Kath-
arine's ever-increasing influence, not only over her hus-
band, but over the mind of young Edward as well, and"
watched her closely, in the hope that they might be able
to make some charge against her. Nothing offered itself
excepting her religious opinions, which were opposed to
Henry's.

1546- Katharine Parr. 439

Several persons were burned to death about this time
for professing the reformed doctrine, among whom was the
young, beautiful and learned Anne Askew. She was a
lady of honorable birth, who became a convert to the new
faith, and was for that reason violently driven from her
home by her cruel husband. Resuming her maiden name,
she worked hard for her religion, and was aided by the
first ladies at court. When it was discovered that she had
sent books to the queen, she was singled out as a victim
by those who hoped by means of torture to wring some
confession from her by which Katharine might be charged
with heresy or treason. But they were mistaken, for the
heroic Anne Askew died at the stake like a true martyr,
" with an angelic expression on her smiling countenance."

Sir George Blagge was arrested also, but he happened to
be one of the king's prime favorites, and was sometimes
called by the endearing nickname of " pig." As soon as
Henry heard of this arrest he sent for Wriothesley and
rated him well, commanding him to draw up a pardon on
the spot. On his release Blagge flew to thank his pre-
server, who on seeing him cried out, '* Ah ! my pig, are
you here safe again !" " Yes, sire," was the reply, " and
if your majesty had not been better than your bishops your
pig had been roasted ere this time."

The next attack was on the queen herself, whom Wrioth-
esley and Gardiner had resolved to strike with a fatal
blow. They told the king that her sister. Lady Herbert,
not only read the books that he had prohibited, but also
gave them to Katharine to read. Now it happened that
the royal couple often conversed on theological subjects in
their hours of domestic privacy, and Henry enjoyed his
wife's ready wit and eloquence. She courted these sub-
jects, because, knowing that he was suffering from an in-
curable malady, she felt it her duty to turn his mind
heavenward.

440 The Queens of England.

One day in the presence of Gardiner she went a little too
far in opposing her lord's views, and as he was suffering
with his leg he felt rather more irritable than usual. He
therefore snappishly put a stop to the discussion ; after
making a few pleasant remarks Kathanne left the room.
" A good hearing it is," said Henry sharply, " when women
become such clerks ; and much to my comfort to come, in
mine old age, to be taught by my wife ! " Gardiner took
advantage of the king's wounded vanity to insinuate things
against his wife that he would not have dared to say a few
days before. He flattered him on his knowledge of
theology, and declared that his majesty excelled the princes
of that age and every other, as well as all the professed
doctors of divinity, so much that it was absurd for anybody
to think of arguing with him as the queen had just done.
He added that it was painful for any of his counsellors to
hear it, because those who were so bold in words would not
hesitate to commit any act of disobedience. In fact he
so poisoned the king's mind as to gain from him a warrant
to consult with others of his party about drawing up
articles against the queen that might bring her head to the
block. But they decided to begin with the ladies of the
court whom she esteemed most, and to search their trunks
and closets for something to charge Katharine with, and
after they had found it to arrest her in the middle of the
night and take her in a barge to the Tower.

All this time the queen suspected nothing, but continued
her nursing of her husband and her religious discussions
with him as before. One day an attendant of Katharine's
picked up a paper in the galler\' of Whitehall that Wrioth-
esley had dropped. It contained a list of charges against
the queen with an order for her arrest, and bore Henry's
signature. The terrified woman had an attack of hysterics
as soon as she became acquainted with the contents of the

1546. Katharine Parr, 441

paper ; as her apartment was next to the king's he heard
her shrieks and cries, and sent to inquire what was the
matter. Her doctor informed the messenger that the queen
was seriously ill, and that the cause seemed to be distress
of mind. No doubt Henry realized how much he should
miss her gentle nursing if she should die, so he determined
to pay her a visit. Accordingly he was wheeled into her
room in a chair, and was really alarmed when he saw how
ill she looked. After a few minutes she assured him that his
visit had greatly revived her, and at the same time ex-
pressed her regret at having seen so little of him for a few
days, and her fears that she had unintentionally given him
some cause for offence. Henry replied kindly and affec-
tionately. Then she was so humble and loving in her
manner that a reaction took place in the humor of her im-
perious lord, and he told the physician of the plot against
the patient's life.

The next evening Katharine felt well enough to return
the king's visit. She entered his room, attended by her
sister, Lady Herbert, and the king's young niece. Lady
Jane Grey, who carried the candles before her majesty.
Henry welcomed her courteously, but in course of time
tried to draw her into a religious argument as usual. She
avoided the snare by observing, "that she was but a
woman, with all the imperfections natural to the weakness
of her sex, therefore in all matters of doubt and difficulty
she must refer herself to his majesty's better judgment ;
for," she continued, " God hath appointed you supreme
head of us all, and of you, next unto God, will I ever
learn."

" Not so, by St. Mary ! " cried the king, "ye are become
a doctor, Kate, to instruct us, and not to be instructed of
us, as oftentime we have seen."

" Indeed," replied she, " if your majesty have so con-

442 The Queens of England.

ceived my meaning has been mistaken, for I have always
held it preposterous for a woman to instruct her lord ; and
if I have ever presumed to differ with your highness on
religion it was partly to gain information for my own
comfort regarding certain nice points on which I stood in
doubt, and sometimes because I perceived that in talking
you were better able to pass away the pain and weariness
of your present infirmity, which encouraged me to this
boldness, in the hope of profiting by your majesty's learned
discourse."

There was no limit to the flattery that this egotist could
stand. With a complacent smile he replied, " And is it
so, sweetheart ? Then we are perfect friends." He then
kissed her, and gave her leave to depart.

On the day appointed for her arrest the king felt better,
and sent for her to take the air with him in the garden.
She came attended by three ladies. Presently Wriothes-
ley with forty armed men entered the garden with the in-
tention of carrying the queen off to the Tower. But he
had not been informed of the change in the king's mind.
To his great surprise Henry received him with a burst of
indignation, calling him beast, fool, and knave, and bidding
him get out of his sight. Katharine tried to calm him, and
begged forgiveness for her foe.

" Ah ! poor soul," said the king, " thou little knowest,
Kate, how evil he deserveth this grace at thy hands. On
my word, sweetheart, he hath been to thee a very knave ! "

Now if Katharine had not been a woman of forbearance
and real virtue she would immediately have turned on her
enemies when she had the king in her power, but instead
of that she induced him to overlook Wriothesley's offence,
but he never forgave Gardiner the blunder he had made, and
not only struck his name from his council-book but forbade
him his presence. Henry is said to have been very kind

1547' Katharine Parr. 443

•

and affectionate to Katharine during his latter days, yet it
was well-known that he was preparing another charge of
heresy against her when death overtook him, and that she
survived him only by special good luck.

■[A.D. 1547.] Henry VIII. expired January 28, 1547,
at the royal palace of Westnunster, in the fifty-sixth year of
his age.

When his will was opened Katharine was surprised and
indignant to find that she was not appointed regent of the
realm, with the care of the young King Edward VI., as she
deserved to be.

The king's body lay in state for several days, and was
then buried with great pomp in St. George's Chapel,
Windsor Castle,

A few months after his death Katharine returned to her
former lover. Sir Thomas Seymour, to whom she was
married in the month of May, 1547. Her royal step-
children were much pleased at this match, and continued
their affection for Katharine throughout her life.

ESSEX HOUSE.

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